Colors of the Heart
by Mistress of the Arts
Summary: The Bladebreakers have bonds unlike any other in this world and have entered adulthood standing by each other. Sometimes colors of the heart are vibrant and speak a thousand words. Will life bring them love or fortune? -Post-G Revolution. Contains OC pairings-
1. Chapter 1 Limelight

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Limelight**_

It had been several years since they had walked through those doors. Nostalgia washed over each and every one as they took in the familiar photographs that lined the wall, memories playing across their minds. Even after eight years, Stanley Dickenson had yet to lose that twinkle in his wise eyes as he looked upon the seven of them. They had all grown into striking and fine young adults, in his humble opinion. Now they had joined together once again as a team and family - the Bladebreakers.

He turned in his desk chair, his gaze having been overlooking the fine city in which they lived on the coast. The city was ever bustling, forever moving. Constant changes, no matter how small, were always ongoing in this town. It was why Mr. Dickenson loved it so.

It was this very town in which he had joined the four young men in bonds of friendship and love. They were then connected with the brilliant mind of Kenny - and then later on encouraged by the radiant and sweet Hilary. They were taught by their mentor and brother figure, Hiro. All seven were bonded in ways that no team had ever before in the years that Mr. Dickenson had seen, ever since he first stepped into the world of Beyblading.

His eyes took them in, one-by-one, envisioning their younger selves beside them. His gaze landed on Tyson first - he still wore that trademark blue, red, and white cap that his brother had given to him. He still wore his raven hair long, to his shoulder-blades in a low ponytail and his stormy blue eyes were smiling. He had his hands tucked into the pockets of his red blazer, worn with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and left open over his pale blue t-shirt. His light gray jeans were tattered, white and red sneakers worn from his active days of training. He had grown, both physically and emotionally, from the young boy and into a strong young man of twenty.

Beside him stood Max, still smiling. Max was always cheerful and optimistic - he kept the team's morale high. He had just celebrated his nineteenth birthday, but he still appeared much younger than he was - truly a blessing and a curse. His golden blond hair was kept neat and slightly waved, framing his freckled face while ocean blue eyes looked around the office, nostalgia written in them as he saw the life stories immortalized on the walls of their past. He had a hand on his hip, green gloved fingers playing with a belt-loop of his pair of green cargo jeans. He wore a white and orange trimmed sports' jacket over his white v-neck shirt, just smiling to himself as he remembered his days of youth. He had come far, learning the best of both worlds when it came to his mixed heritage of Japanese and American.

His eyes turned to Ray Kon - truly one of the most talented Beybladers in the sport that Mr. Dickenson had ever encountered. He was like yin and yang, a perfect balance in personality and strategy. He was both strong and defensive, knowing when to strike and when to retreat. He was also feral inside, like the white tiger he held dearly to his heart, but he never let go of his honor as a warrior. He took pride in his Chinese heritage, especially the pride of White Tiger Hills and the neko-jins. His animalistic gold orbs were carefully taking in his surroundings, taking in the auras around him, and analyzing whether or not this visit would bring good tidings or ill. He had his arms crossed over his white top, it sporting the familiar yin-yang insignia on the back and matching his red headband. Black pants and flats completed his attire, with his ankle-length raven hair wrapped tightly and trailing behind him. Even with Ray's maturity and strength, he had still found time to grow in his twenty-one years.

Leaning in the corner, with crimson eyes closed, was the enigmatic Kai Hiwatari. The Russian-born young man had shifted back and forth over the years, at times displaying great trust and faith in his team, and at others playing up on the lone wolf persona and abruptly shutting them out. He had finally come to terms with himself, his need for perfection, and settled down with his teammates with commitment. After-all, losing a relative was hard, especially when said relative was the only family that one ever had. Voltaire's passing had affected Kai in both positive and negative ways, with him inheriting the multi-million corporation that his family had run for generations, but he still had one goal in life. Beyblading wasn't a game to Kai - he lived for it, ever since he was old enough to talk. Now he stood before them, a striking and elegant young man who had just entered his early twenties, but held an air to him that made him seem much older - even with the war paint the wore on his face. He kept his scarf wrapped around his neck, the hem of it brushing the backs of his dark violet jeans, a black t-shirt tucked into them and the hems of the jeans tucked into his heavy black boots.

Behind them, having grown more confident with himself, was Kenny. He had always gone for the sophisticated look in his attire, wearing a white button-down that had short sleeves under a green blazer with khaki pants. He had grown a few inches, but was still small in build. He was the youngest scientist to work for Project Power Beyblade, in the Japanese division, and his research was helping change the world of Beyblading. He was still ever-loyal to his team. None could ever see the ingenious that gleamed in Kenny's eyes, for he always hid them from the world with his brown hair, his spectacles worn atop his head. He had his laptop tucked underneath his arm as he stood beside his closest friend.

Hilary had blossomed over the years. Beautiful, smart, and devoted to her team. She had sacrificed so much for them, including her own family. They had disowned her for her choices, but she hadn't taken it very hard with the Bladebreakers by her side. They had picked her up again and helped her. She was now doing the best she could for them, living her life to the fullest. As expected from someone as driven as she was. Her face had lost all of its baby-fat, now heart-shaped as her chocolate hair fanned around it choppily, her hair falling to her shoulder-blades. Her garnet eyes glanced around curiously, fingertips playing with the draw-string of her orange hooded jacket, the sleeves stopping at her elbows, and the hem stopping at her midriff. The jacket was left open over a black tank top and a pair of form-fitting blue jeans fit her frame, with a pair of black ankle boots tapping against the carpet a bit anxiously.

Hiro stood behind them, looking professional in his khakis and his dark red v-neck sweater, worn over a black polo. His brown eyes were narrowed suspiciously on the elderly man before them. His perceptive nature revealed to him what the others had yet to catch on.

It was about time he told them why he had asked them to join him today.

"Please, have a seat." Mr. Dickenson indicated toward the black table he sat at the head of, and they moved to take their seats - save Kai, who remained standing. He cleared his throat a moment later before adjusting a stack of papers. "I called you here because I wish to ask a personal favor to you."

"Really? A favor?" Max said, looking a bit surprised. "What is it, Mr. D?"

Mr. Dickenson gave him a small smile, before his fingers brushed his mustache. "Ah, I'm glad you asked, Max. You see, my boy, a colleague of mine runs a record company and he has requested that the Bladebreakers assist him in gaining one of his bands some publicity. The band will also be sponsoring the Beyblade Battle Association and performing for the tournaments."

"Ugh, great. You mean like how BEGA used Ming-Ming to promote them." Tyson grimaced.

"Yes and no. This is a band that is internationally known and has been touring for the past four years. They have just moved to Bey City on contract and will be remaining here. This is where the Bladebreakers will play in."

"Okay, what do we have to do?" Ray inquired.

"Yeah, Mr. D! If it's to help you, we don't mind." Tyson piped up. "I mean, after-all, if it wasn't for you we would have never gotten this far in blading - we're all professionals now because of you!"

"I would like for you to play the roles of the girls' boyfriends."

There was an awkward pause that came from the four Bladebreakers, whose eyes met immediately in uncertainty.

"For how long?" Max asked, a bit nervous.

"Just to get the magazines and newspapers going. Mr. Grayson wants to try from a different angle - get into the girls' private life without actually doing so. Of course, you are free to decline, but their ratings are dropping and they use the money they make to support their families."

"What band are we talking about here, Mr. Dickenson?" Kenny inquired.

He smiled, "Why, Celestial Neon of course."

"Oh my god! I love them!" Hilary exclaimed. "They are totally down to earth. I went to one of their concerts with Salima last year - we went backstage and everything. Each girl was totally nice and they chatted with us as if we had known them for years. They're really awesome and their music sends a great message, about friendship and trust and following your dreams. It's so much better than half of the music on the radio anymore, which is about partying and sex."

"Seems to me we have a fan then."

The door had just opened, with Hiro visibly tensing upon sight of the young woman who had just walked in.

"I apologize for being late, Mr. Dickenson. I had to take a call from Mr. Grayson. I see that you are briefing them about the contract." Her grey-blue eyes glanced around the room as she crossed it, the heels of her chestnut boots clicking against the floor. "My name is Sayuri Katsura. I am the manager of Celestial Neon. It was my idea to recruit your team for the publicity charade."

"Why did you chose us?" Ray asked slowly.

Sayuri ran a manicured nail through her curled deep brown hair, before flipping it over her shoulder. She gave them each a warm smile as she looked at them.

"Because I know out of all the teams out there, you were the only ones who wouldn't lose your head to the fanatics and craziness that comes with the lives of rock stars." Sayuri glanced at them all. "It would mean a lot to us if you could help us… especially since I go _way back_ with your coach."

Hiro flinched as those piercing eyes locked on him. He would never forget those eyes. They were the eyes of his ex-girlfriend. The one he had left behind when he took on the world to try and become a professional blader, only to crash and burn when he was only eighteen. He had been a kid back then, messed up in the head over losing his mother.

It had been ten years, yet she looked as if she hadn't aged a day. She was still vibrant, still intimidating and powerful in her own way - Sayuri had been his teammate after all. One of the strongest female bladers the world had ever seen back in those days.

The guilt ate at him immediately, thinking of how broken she was after he left.

"Hiro…?"

The moment he glanced at his little brother, Hiro knew he had to man up. He took a deep breath and crossed his arms over his chest, closing his eyes before giving a nod of agreement.

"We agree to the terms and conditions, so long as this doesn't get out of hand. None of the relationships will be used against other teams or anything else. Is that understood?"

"Of course. Do you boys agree?"

"This will be all fake, right?" Hilary interjected, eyes glancing at Tyson, slight paranoia reflecting in them.

"One hundred percent. I've talked to the girls and they don't have any romantic interest in who I have partnered them up with."

"I agree." Tyson, surprisingly, spoke up first. "If this is to help Mr. Dickenson and to help you, Yuri, then I don't mind."

"I'm grateful, Tyson. I missed you too. You've grown so much."

He smiled at her, a smile that was brotherly and warm. Hiro felt a little sick to his stomach, knowing how hard this was going to be. He could tell that Sayuri still held resentment. She had every right to.

She was his ex.

"I'm with Tyce." Max replied cheerfully. "If this will help out the BBA, then I'm all for it."

"As am I," Ray agreed as well. "Kai?"

Kai sighed heavily, before he gave a nod - though it did seem a bit reluctant on his part, but he was a team-player now and he didn't want to let the others down. Sayuri clapped her hands together happily, before she cleared her throat and casually picked some lint off her red blouse. She then pulled out a cell phone from the pocket of her black blazer, sending a text message.

The doors opened not even a minute later, with four girls close in age to the Bladebreakers walking inside of the office. Two were Japanese, one was European, and the other was Chinese. Hilary looked starstruck as she took them all in, wearing their respective colors for their band.

"Alright, they've agreed girls. Just need to have them each sign the contract, after you introduce yourselves of course." Sayuri said to the band.

Nodding, the Chinese girl stepped forward. She was very petite and tiny, looking like a China doll, especially with her porcelain skin. Her black hair was as dark as obsidian, worn in twin tails with bangs hanging above her almond-shaped eyes. Her irises were not dark, however, as expected. Instead they were a bright shade of blue, reminding them of the sky. She was dressed casually in a blue-and-white striped shirt with sleeves that stopped at her elbows, a pair of black cotton leggings, and neon blue converse low top sneakers. Around her neck on a leather cord was a silver crescent moon pendant that hung right above her cleavage.

"My name is Lien Tseng," She spoke, with a slight British accent, and her tone was soft-spoken. "I was born in Hong Kong, and raised in London by my Grandfather. I am the lead vocalist of Celestial Neon and I am very pleased to meet you." Lien gave a polite bow.

"Tyson, I would like for you to play the role of Lien's boyfriend." Sayuri then stated.

Tyson glanced at her and then shrugged. "Cool."

The guitarist stepped forward, giving a warm smile to all of them. "I'm Kaiya Sagara - Sayuri's stepsister - and the guitarist."

She indicated to her black guitar with a green bridge, the base of it shaped like a star. Kaiya had hair that was so blond that it seemed almost white, tumbling down her back all the way to her waist, and she wore it with side-swept bangs that fell lightly into her right eye. She had a green star clip worn over her left ear. Her eyes were a bright green and she gave them all a sweet smile. She was dressed in a white square neck dress with short sleeves, which had the words _Celtic Moon_ across the bosom, and the hem fell in pleats to her knees with white flats.

"Kaiya, I would like for you to be matched with Ray."

"That's fine with me," Ray said, giving her a small smile, though he felt an unexpected twinge of guilt as he thought of a particular redhead. He quickly shook it off. "I'm sure we'll be great friends, Kaiya!"

"Me too!" Kaiya smiled happily, even giving him a little curtsey.

"Alright, the silent wonder is Talia. She's my boss' niece." Sayuri said, indicating to the eldest of the group who was leaning against the wall and looking as if she would rather be anywhere but there at the moment. "I'd like for her to be with you, Max."

Talia Grayson did not look happy with this one bit. Taking one look at her - and especially the sight of her Demon Blade bass guitar - Max wasn't so sure that being paired up with her was such a great idea. They were polar opposites, but judging from the look on Sayuri's face, he couldn't request to be with the other girl.

Looks like he'd just have to deal.

Talia wasn't bad-looking, though. She just seemed more suited for Kai. Her violet eyes were set in a dull stare at Max, with an expression on her face that clearly stated "you have got to be bloody joking" and she even scrunched up her nose in evident distaste. Like Max, she also had a patch of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her wavy black hair was worn to her shoulder-blades, with layered purple bangs hanging above her eyes. She wore tattered black skinny jeans, a white tank top that showed off her hips - and a butterfly tattoo on her left hip - and white skate shoes with purple plaid laces and a purple plaid vest over her tank top. She wore an amethyst and onyx butterfly pendant on a black lacy choker necklace as well, along with dark and drastic eye make-up. She had her ears pierced three times with black studs, along with an violet industrial piercing on her right ear and a two black hoops in her left cartilage.

Yeah, Talia was definitely not Max's type.

"And last but not least is Yue Igarashi." Sayuri giggled a bit as she noticed the look on Kai's face, with a voice in the back of his head pleading for death. "Sorry, Kai."

He looked at her as if to say "yeah, right" before he shook his head slightly. The smallest and youngest of the band was a Japanese girl of seventeen, looking as if she was radiating her own ball of sunshine. In a lot of ways, she reminded them of Max.

Yue had honey blond hair, which was worn just past her shoulders and she wore some of her hair pulled up into pigtails on the sides of her head with orange bows. Her eyes were a bright gold, almost electric yellow. She was incredibly small, even smaller than Lien, with her 4'9" stature. She was dressed in a yellow spaghetti-strap v-neck top over a white camisole with white denim shorts and yellow flats. A pair of bright orange headphones rested around her neck, playing Western music, with the particular song playing being _Pocket Full of Sunshine_.

"Don't worry, Kai. I know you don't like this, so I'll do all the acting! You can just stand there and look cute, 'kay?"

Kai simply face-palmed.

"So, any questions?"

"We don't have to kiss right?" Lien was surprisingly the one who spoke. "No offense, Tyson, but I'd rather not kiss you…"

"Totally understandable." Tyson chuckled.

"No, the only PDA that will be required is hugging and holding hands. Just enough to get the paparazzi frazzled." Sayuri grinned. "Also, don't fret too much. You will all get to know each other very well. After all, we're now your neighbors."

"Neighbors?" Kenny asked, looking confused, and blushing slightly as he checked out Yue shyly.

"We moved into the suite across the hall from you at your apartment building." Talia answered, revealing her British accent, which was much thicker than Lien's. "So get used to seeing us."

"Understood!" Kenny squeaked and hid behind Hilary, who made a face.

"It's going to be totally awesome living close to you guys! We're going to be great friends!" Yue exclaimed cheerfully, looking over everyone.

Mr. Dickenson chuckled. "So it's settled then. Now, shall we head down to the press conference?"

"Conference?" more than one voice spoke their confusion.

"It's time to reveal whom Celestial Neon have been seeing behind closed doors." Sayuri winked. "You ready boys?"

The Bladebreakers exchanged a small look, before three out of the four nodded slowly.

They didn't know just what they were getting into, stepping through the door they had just opened. Another world had just opened to them, one where reality was jumbled with fantasy.

The limelight greeted them eagerly. Besides, all the world's indeed a stage and they were merely players, performers, and portrayers, each another's audience outside the gilded cage. One must learn to put up barriers to keep one self-intact.

The Bladebreakers had a lot to learn when it came to Celestial Neon's world.

They would learn how to truly understand the underlying theme through fascination, alienation, and another world.

* * *

_A/N: So I really hope that everyone likes the girls and this idea. It's different than what I usually write, but I wanted to focus on the other aspects of the Bladebreakers besides their awesomeness in the dish. _

_I will update after I get at least __**3-5 Reviews. **__So go ahead and just let me know your thoughts on this? :)_

_Next Chapter: "Fences"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	2. Chapter 2 Fences

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Fences**_

It had already been a week since the Bladebreakers agreed to 'date' Celestial Neon. In that short amount of time, they had already discovered just how different their worlds were from each other. Being professional Beybladers, they had only dealt with reporters and fans during the tournaments. The townsfolk all knew them and treated them with respect and privacy.

It was a totally different story now that they were dating celebs - musicians to be exact. The girls were incredibly popular, especially with girls ranging from the ages of twelve to thirty. High school boys and college guys were constantly trying to flirt with the girls, trying to score dates, even though they were always seen out and about with their 'boyfriends'. The Bladebreakers - save Kai - were quick to fall into the role and defend their territory from the men.

Though true be told, Max didn't have to do much when it came to Talia. She definitely could handle herself, telling off the last man who dared grope her ass while they were out and she threatened to remove vital body parts. They quickly got the message that Talia was out of their league - and their dreams.

Life had drastically shifted in those seven days. The only solace they found was in the safety of their apartments, the BBA Headquarters, the park after dark, and the dojo where Tyson and Hiro's grandfather lived with Daichi Sumeragi, who was going to inherit the dojo and was the reigning kendo champion of Japan.

They couldn't even go to the supermarket without being attacked by the stalkerazzi - as Lien had dubbed them. Tyson and she had been harassed, with Tyson having to snatch a guy out a tomato bin and threaten to break his camera with the guy's face for the horde of stalker reporters to take a hike. Max and Talia had been chased eight blocks by fan girls, with them hiding in a post office for two hours and ending up being put to work by the old man who ran it. Kaiya and Ray had been attacked while they were spending time in the park by Ming-Ming fans, who despised Celestial Neon and tried to chase the pair into the river - luckily the two of them were strong swimmers, but came home looking like drenched cats.

The only 'couple' that had been deemed safe was ironically Kai and Yue, since the reporters and fans were too frightened to go within twelve feet of the cold and scary Russian. The only one who wasn't frightened of Kai _was_ Yue.

It was funny and a little sad.

It wasn't just the fans and reporters that were driving the Bladebreakers up the wall. It was their friends. Rival teams from their past, or in Max's case…

A very jealous Mariam.

He had just spent two hours being bitched at over call about him being a no-good cheating asshole, even though technically Max and Mariam were not officially dating. They had been talking for a couple of months, but she never wanted anything to get passed casual. So the moment she saw the article on him 'dating' Talia, for some reason she refused to believe him when he told her it was a complete charade. In her eyes, he was cheating.

Even though he was a single man.

Max finally gave up and logged off his computer and Skype, from where he had been video chatting with the South American and had his head bit off. He didn't have to deal with her giving him shit when he was innocent by far. He felt annoyed, and his stomach was nauseous.

The blond gave a heavy sigh, placing his head in his hands as he looked down at his lap, staring at his feet.

Why did everything have to be so complicated? Yeah, he liked Mariam to a degree, she was pretty and a good Beyblader, but she wasn't really the one he wanted to be with. Long distance relationships weren't his thing either, but he had been willing to try.

At first, anyway.

Max stood up and crossed his bedroom, before flopping onto his bed. He stared at the ceiling before closing his eyes and covering them with his arm, feeling the rapid beating of his heart in his chest. He felt offended, sick, and just tired.

It had been six years since they had met. Six years since she had came into his world. Through all the laughter and the tears, he had stuck by her side. He had picked up the pieces, supported her through everything. Every fight she had with Tyson, when she cried her heart out after being rejected by Kai, and now…

Here he was, just on the other side of the wall, and he couldn't even come clean about his feelings for her.

Max shook his head in defeat, before rolling onto his stomach and hugging his pillow to his chest, his face pressed against it as his blue orbs looked up at photo he had on his bedside table. It was taken during their trip to New York during Christmas last year, to visit Max's mother and the rest of the All Stars.

There they were, in Times Square, with it covered in snow and decorated beautifully for Christmas. Kai was standing off to the side, hands in the pocket of his jacket and not really looking toward the camera, it catching his profile. Beside him was Ray, who was standing next to Salima - Hilary's best friend - and she was hugging his arm. Tyson and Kenny had their arms slung around each other's necks, with Tyson making a peace sign and giving a cheesy grin, while Kenny smiled the best he could.

Then, there they were. He could remember that moment perfectly. The lights glowing around them, making the snow glimmer like diamonds, and the way the snow had fallen around her face. It was in that one moment that Max realized just what he was feeling for the brunette.

Max was in love with Hilary.

He wasn't sure for how long he had been, but he knew it was the truth. There wasn't any other way that the feelings he felt could be anything else. Just seeing her, surrounded by the snow and the lights, those beautiful eyes that were like garnets glancing at him as she gave him that adorable smile…

His heart fluttered more in his chest just at the thought.

She had been cold, not used to the cold weather, and her jacket wasn't warm enough. Max had placed an arm around her shoulders casually, with hers wrapped around his waist as they smiled at the camera. They looked like they were a couple, happy and in love.

If only it wasn't so one-sided.

First it was Tyson. Then it was Kai. After the rejection, Hilary then went back to liking Tyson.

She liked two of his very best friends.

She didn't even see him.

It was so unfair.

"What can I do to make you see, Hilary? You belong with me…"

He couldn't dare confess, not when he knew how deadest Hilary was on being with Tyson - despite his obliviousness and disinterest in relationships in general. Max loved her so much, he was willing to do anything for her happiness.

It was a double-edged sword, but she was worth suffering for.

So he remained silent, with his heart building fences around it to keep those feelings unspoken.

It was the only way he knew.

* * *

The city was bustling, moving rapidly, like waves crashing on the shore. She moved amongst the crowd, not really seeing their faces. They were just silhouettes, moving passed her like shadows throughout the shades of grey.

Obsidian tresses danced down her back, free from their twin tails in order to blend in with the crowd, and azure eyes were fixed on her converse as she stepped around puddles from the earlier rain shower. She listened to the beats of _Babylon of the Orient_ by Shanghai Restoration Project thatshe was listening to, neon blue headphones covering her ears, blocking out the noise of the world.

Shutting the world out was easy for her, for Lien had built her fences long ago. It was in her blood to perform, with her late parents having both been performers. Her mother had been a dancer and her father an actor. They had met and fell in love, and she had been the outcome.

When they had passed away, they took the world's colors with them. She was content though, leaving her birthplace and going to London. Her grandfather, her mother's British father, had been the only one to take her in. She had only been six at the time.

Still, she remembered her homeland. She remembered the way it felt to feel so small and yet so loved in the city of Hong Kong. In London, she thrived only when she sang. She had befriended Talia once she entered school. She brought some color back into her shadowed world.

Lien ached for the reminders of her childhood, with her mother and father by her side. So wherever they traveled, no matter how far or wide, she always found solace in the places that reminded her of home. Now, she sought for a place such as that.

She turned down another street, trying her best to memorize the routes and different landmarks, to get to know the city that she would be settling down in for awhile. She liked Japan. It was nice, quaint. It reminded her of China. London was too busy, too loud.

Too dreary.

Here, it seemed a little brighter.

Lien paused and backtracked as she turned down another street, blinking in surprise as she took in a small restaurant, nestled beside a corner bookstore. The building itself was old, but it looked nice. It was the name of the restaurant that had caught her attention.

_The Tiger Lily._

The name was written in English, Chinese, and Japanese. On the sign itself was a beautiful portrait of a white tiger bursting through a tiger lily. What surprised her even more was the quaintness of the restaurant. There were also several promotional flyers for the BBA posted on the front door, along with a poster of a team she would always recognize, for they were her favorite team and she always rooted for them during the tournaments.

White Tiger X.

She wondered what had happened to them after the last World Tournament. She had assumed they had returned to their village in White Tiger Hills. Not much was known about White Tiger X other than the fact that they were the best team in China.

"They opened a restaurant…"

That explained where Ray went off too when he said he was going to work. He said he worked at a Chinese restaurant and promised to take Lien there sometime, whenever he wasn't so busy. He had also said it was downtown.

She had stumbled upon it by chance.

Lien's breathing hitched a bit as she glanced through the front window, catching sight of vibrant pink hair. Her hand trembled a bit as she reached out to open the door, slowly stepping inside and feeling the air conditioning hitting her skin. She walked down the small pathway that had been made from the front door, where two stonewalls with faux tiger lily plants lined it, with stone tiger statues at the ends of the pathway sat. Before her was the register area, and on the wall behind it was the same magnificent portrait of the white tiger bursting from the tiger lily. Running said register happened to be the one and only Lee Wong.

"Welcome to the Tiger Lily." He greeted, giving a small smile as he noticed her.

Her cheeks tickled in slight warmth, trying desperately to find her voice, but all she could do was stare at him as if she was in a trance. Animalistic eyes blinked once, before Lee paused, biting his lower lip for a moment before he spoke again, this time in Mandarin.

"_Are you alright?_"

She nodded hastily, moving her headphones around her neck and pausing her music. She cleared her throat and finally was able to speak.

"I'm sorry. I was a little taken aback. I speak English too." Lien cleared her throat again, glancing around the quaint restaurant. They were steady, with some families and groups of friends seated at the booths and tables that had several paper lanterns eating delectable Chinese food. "Your restaurant is very lovely."

Lee smiled at her gently. "We appreciate the compliment. Would you be joining us today?"

She nodded, a little pleased that he hadn't recognized her from the band. It made her feel normal for once. Lee grabbed her a menu and then led her toward one of the tables in the corner. She blinked as she noticed a face she hadn't seen since the Justice 5 match between G-Revolution and BEGA.

It was Mystel and he was sitting at a table and coloring with a blond girl who looked just like him. She looked to be about six or seven, and her hair was worn to her waist. She looked up and showed off her picture of what appeared to be a tiger.

"Look Daddy!"

"You made it so awesome, Zephyra!" Mystel exclaimed, just as Mariah came out of the kitchens and carried an order to a table close by. "Love, look at what our baby drew!"

Mariah gushed and then hugged her, with the little girl snuggling happily in the pinkette's arms. Lien then noticed then child's eyes - each iris was a different color, with the left eye being the same striking blue as Mystel's and the right being the same shade of gold as Mariah's. They were animalistic as well and she had slightly pointed ears. Lien then took in the wedding bands on the two's hands.

_Mariah and Mystel are married and have a child… I was curious about that. Now I know._

Lee smiled in pride of his niece before setting the menu down. Lien thanked him quietly before she slid into the booth, picking up the menu. Mariah then released her daughter and then approached the table.

"Hey, sweetheart. I'm Mariah and I'll be your waitress today! What can I get you to drink?"

"Tea, please."

"Sure thing!" Mariah paused and eyed her for a moment, "Hey… aren't you…?"

Panic crossed Lien's face as she quickly placed a finger to her lips pleadingly. Mariah blinked and leaned down, so she was eye level.

"You're Lien Tseng from Celestial Neon. I almost didn't recognize you with your hair left down."

"I didn't want to be recognized," Lien said softly. "Please…"

"I totally understand, sweetheart. Just wanted to let you know that I think your music is great. It's the only thing I let my baby girl listen to and she adores you."

Lien smiled at the young mother. "I'm glad that she does."

"I'll be back in a few moments to bring you your tea and get your order, okay, hun?"

Nodding, Lien thanked her again, watching as Mariah then turned to head back to work - but not before she was snagged by the waist by her husband, who stole a quick kiss. Lien watched as Zephyra hopped out of her seat and then skipped over to her uncle, who picked her up and set her on the counter, where the two began to play cat's cradle together with some yarn. Her heart warmed upon the sight.

She remembered doing the same thing with her own father.

Lien felt a wide grin spreading across her face, feeling relaxed and peaceful. She had found her place of solace after all. She didn't glance up again until she noticed a porcelain cup being placed down, with a tea pot pouring some of the herbal tea into it. Bright blue eyes turned to thank her waitress, only to find it wasn't Mariah pouring the tea.

A visible violet orb locked on her, the pupil expanding slightly in disbelief. She bit her lip, hoping that he wouldn't freak out and reveal her identity. They stared at one another for a full minute before he jolted, hissing and quickly jerking the tea pot upright. Tea had splashed over the brim of the cup, the hot liquid scalding his hand. He quickly grabbed the washcloth he had in the front pocket of his black apron, which he wore tied around his waist over his black skinny jeans - which seemed baggy on his small frame, for he was roughly around her height, with Lien only around five-two in height. He quickly mopped up the excess tea, mumbling an apology. His cheeks were pink, with forest green hair shielding his face from her view as he turned slightly away.

"Are you alright?" Lien asked, reaching out without thinking, her fingers snagging the sleeve of his violet graphic t-shirt, which had a black dragon design on the front.

He jerked slightly in surprise the moment her porcelain fingers touched his skin, looking embarrassed and startled. He staggered back, his violet skate shoes tripping over the leg of the table. He fell back, his rear hitting the floor.

"Uncle Kevin, are you okay?!"

Zephyra came bounding over to him, immediately grasping his arm and trying to help him stand upright.

"Yeah, I'm alright Zeph. See, no harm done?"

Kevin gave her a cheeky smile, ruffling her hair, but he was quick to hide his burnt hand from her curious eyes. Once she was satisfied, she went running back over to her uncle, who was scolding Gary in the doorway of the kitchens for eating the stock again. Mariah was trying to break them up, with the adults ceasing their discussion the moment the child arrived.

Kevin sighed and examined his wrist, before he lifted his head and realized that the girl was still staring at him, concern flickering across her azure eyes. He swallowed hard, suddenly finding the ability to speak flee him. He simply pulled out his pad and pencil, clearing his throat.

"W-what would you like to order?"

"Are you alright? That burn seems severe…"

Why she even cared, he didn't know. All Kevin did know was that it made him feel touched by her question. Most strangers wouldn't have said anything. They would've gotten annoyed with his clumsiness.

He hadn't meant to mess up, but the moment he saw her, he felt something strike him. He had never seen anyone like her before. He had met countless Oriental girls before, especially during the Asian tournaments and his travels.

He had never seen one with eyes like hers.

Her eyes were as blue as the sky and as gentle as water. They seemed to stare straight through him, as if she could see into his soul. It had taken him aback, but at the same time it wasn't scary. It was…enticing.

He wanted to know more.

"I'm fine. Promise! So…do you know what you'd like to eat?"

She glanced down at the menu. "Tsao chicken, fried rice, two egg rolls, and some teriyaki noodles."

Kevin wrote down the order. "Alright, it should be out shortly." He turned to walk away, but she reached out again, gently stopping him.

"Wait, please. Let me at least look at it."

It was so hard to tell her no, especially with that adorable accent. Sighing, Kevin gave in, holding out his wrist. His hand was shaking slightly from the pain of the burn. She then turned and opened her small black purse, withdrawing a small first-aid kit. He didn't question it and soon felt relief from the pain as she sprayed it with some burn spray. They had some in the back, but it would've been a hassle to get to since it was buried somewhere in the office.

"Thanks… you didn't have to…"

"I wanted to." she said firmly.

He went to turn and leave again, but the nagging voice in the back of his mind wouldn't let him. Kevin once again turned to look at her.

"May I ask your name…?"

She looked a little surprised, and funnily enough, a little happy and relieved.

"Lien,"

"I'm Kevin."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Y-you too. I better go get your order in…I'll bring it out soon."

Lien smiled as he disappeared from sight, carefully lifting her tea cup and sipping it slowly, taking a deep breath, happy to have stumbled upon this place.

* * *

"Yatzee!"

"Tyson, for the last time, we are playing Monopoly!"

"Fine then, woman, pay me my money!"

The sight was warming as Sayuri watched the group sitting around the living room floor, where the Bladebreakers were playing a game of Monopoly with the girls. The only ones who weren't playing were Kai, Talia, Lien, and Max. She had seen the quiet pair go up to the roof for some air, while Lien was still out and Max was in his room.

Sayuri watched with smiling eyes as she watched Tyson and Hilary squabbling, with finally the brunette snagging the hood of Tyson's blazer and shoving it over his head, attempting to hold him down and force him to submit to her will. They were close, that much was apparent, but their general relationship seemed quite confusing. Sayuri shook her head a bit, easily picturing a memory in place of the scene before her.

Hiro and her used to fight like that, playfully squabbling and picking on each other. She missed those days, when things were understood between them. Now, things were just distant, awkward, and there was a lot of resentment on both sides.

She was trying to be the better person. She was twenty-eight now. She had matured from the child of ten years ago. She wanted to forgive, forget, and move on. They had to work together - that much was imperative. It was for her girls and his team. Despite the chaos, the relationships were helping both sides.

They were learning to cross into each other's personal worlds, expanding their horizons and learning that the world ended with them, and only they could venture further into the unknown. Not all people were out to trick, manipulate, and use them.

They were all good kids.

Sayuri twirled a brown curl around her finger as she leaned against the doorway. Her keen ears heard the sound of the front door opening, turning and seeing Hiro entering. He had Lien walking behind him, headphones in place. It took Sayuri one glance to know that the singer had found what she had been seeking when she left for the afternoon.

"Lien, come play with us!" Kaiya immediately exclaimed.

Sayuri smiled even more as her stepsister immediately went to include the shy and introverted girl in their activities. It was funny - Kaiya was the second youngest, being only eighteen, but she mothered both Talia and Lien at times, who were both two to three years her senior in age.

Lien crossed the room and took her seat on the other side of Kaiya, where Yue immediately latched onto her in a tight hug. Lien giggled a bit and hugged her back, before they declared the current game null and void and they switched to another board game.

"It's like they're all kids again."

Sayuri felt some of the happiness she was feeling deflate again, glancing out of the corner of her eyes at the taller male beside her. Hiro had a hand on his hip as he watched them. He looked pleased, as happy as she had been feeling to see their interactions going well.

"Yes, they are becoming close and quickly."

"Then it's a good thing that the Bladebreakers agreed."

"I believe so. However, I must warn you now… if any of your boys hurt my girls, there will be consequences."

"Trust me, Sayuri; none of them would ever hurt your girls. They cherish their friendships - even Kai. It seems to me he has actually become taken to Talia, and he is developing a bond with Yue, despite their opposite personalities. Some new blood is always good for this team. New friendships, new people, they help them grow and strengthen their own bonds as bladers and friends. I hold the utmost respect for each of them, including Kenny and Hilary."

"I see… the same goes for my girls. They are different in their own ways, seeing the world with different views, but they all have a bond that is incomprehensible and unbreakable. They have never feared hurt or betrayal from one another, and they have been together for four solid years."

"It's amazing that your girls are able to have that. It's rare nowadays."

"It's what inspires their songs and music." Sayuri crossed her arms under her breasts, before she glanced at him. "So, tell me, have your boys come to understand the joys of love?"

"Somewhat. They've struggled and dabbled, but nothing permanent or stronger than infatuation. The worst we've had to deal with was when Mariah and Ray split up and then she ended up getting married to Mystel. It's been a few years, though, so Ray has recovered for the most part. It's helped to have Salima around."

"Salima…I met her the other day, when she came over to see Hilary."

"That's the one. She's a strong Beyblader too. She's kind as well."

"Ray is a sweet young man. I am glad that he is coming to understand how wonderful love is."

"Love…is bittersweet."

"You would know."

Hiro flinched slightly. "Sayuri, you have to understand…"

"Oh, I understand perfectly. I just don't see how you could throw away everything. But in the end, it was your choice and you've had to deal with the consequences." the brunette turned to head down the hallway. "Hiro… if you ever get a second chance at love, try not to waste it. Love only comes around very few times in life. It isn't something to let go of so easily."

He nodded, lowering his gaze to his shoes as he heard the door shut quietly behind him.

She was right.

Love was a wondrous, rare thing.

Yet it was bittersweet.

* * *

_A/N: Haha, bet you guys didn't expect that about Maxie! My newfound couple! They are amazingly adorbs. So let me know what you guys think of the second installment and the relationships beginning to form between the Bladebreakers and Celestial Neon in a review! Please and thank you!_

_I will update after I get at least __**3-5 Reviews. **__So go ahead and just let me know your thoughts on this? :)_

_Next Chapter: "Decode"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	3. Chapter 3 Decode

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Decode**_

She awoke to find the apartment empty, which was a rare occurrence with the seven of them living in it. So, Hilary did what any other girl who lived with six men would do while given the opportunity. She opened the closet and armed herself with cleaning supplies and began to work on making the apartment spotless.

It wasn't entirely messy. Ray, Max, Kai, and Kenny were resembling neat beings and picked up after themselves. Occasionally the brunette would find pieces of them about, such as a stray sock of Max's or Ray's cell phone charger left in the living room from where he spent late nights talking to her bestie on the phone so not to disrupt his slumbering teammates.

The messiest was by far Tyson.

Hiro was simply a packrat, with an obsessive need to keep every little trinket of his, so despite the cluttered appearance, his room was considerably clean. She was grateful for the spacious apartment suite that had had enough bedrooms for all of them, even if they were a little cramped at times. When she had moved in, Hiro had given up his old room and turned the office into his bedroom, since he hardly slept in his room anyway.

It was sweet of them to take her in, since her mother and stepfather had kicked her out.

Hilary smiled a bit to herself as she walked down the hallway, taking in the photographs that lined it, before she stepped into the living room and began to pick up the stray sports magazines and straightening them on the coffee table. She picked up the stray video games and located their cases, replacing them back on the shelf. For the hell of it, she then put them all in alphabetical order and then neatly rearranged the game systems.

Once that was done, Hilary wiped the sweat off her brow, feeling that the temperature had gotten warmer. It was late summer, with it growing more humid out as the day crept on. She shut all the windows and then turned on the air conditioner, finding a note left for her on the kitchen counter as she went inside to clean out the fridge.

_**Hil,**_

_**Went training with the team and will be back later tonight. Don't worry about dinner. We're all going out with Sayuri and the girls. Take it easy today, alright?  
~Hiro**_

"He's such a good coach. Hmm, dinner tonight with the girls, huh? Maybe I should invite Salima along."

Hilary pulled out her touch-screen phone and sent a message to the redhead, who immediately replied that she would love to. They made arrangements for her to show up later on that afternoon before Hilary put down the phone and started her task at hand.

She opened the massive fridge - which seemed to take up almost an entire wall of the kitchen. One of the metal doors, which was taller than Hilary, was the refrigerator and the other was the freezer. Thanks to the money they made from being professionals and working part-time jobs, they were able to keep enough groceries stocked, pay all the bills, and have some luxuries in life. It also helped that Kai was loaded.

With Hiro and Hilary budgeting, they didn't have to worry. Whatever extra funds they could spare, they donated to the schools and shelters. They just wanted to help the less fortunate.

The brunette spent the next half-an-hour sniffing the contents of tupper-ware and throwing out whatever had been spoiled, wiping down the shelves and rearranging the contents. They had separated the food for the most part, with a shelf of lunches and other health foods for Ray and Max.

Whatever wasn't claimed was free gain, and Tyson normally went after that.

Hilary had just finished the fridge and went to move onto the freezer only to pause. She tilted her head to the side and listened carefully, fainting hearing the sound of a guitar playing and singing. She didn't recognize the voice.

Curiously, the brunette pulled off her rubber gloves and bandana and tossed them on the counter, before heading down the hallway toward the front door. She opened it, looking down the left and the right of the hallway, before her eyes landed on the door across from theirs. The music was coming from Celestial Neon's apartment.

Only, it wasn't the band practicing, as she had expected.

Hilary bit down on her lower lip in uncertainty, before she reached back inside and snagged the only set of keys hanging on the row of hooks, locking up the apartment before she headed over across the hall. She tried the door, since Sayuri said it was okay for them to come and go as they pleased, finding it unlocked. Pushing it open, Hilary tiptoed slowly into the hallway after shutting the door, hearing the music growing louder.

She crossed through the living room, finding the apartment as empty as her own, and seeing that the girls had finished unpacking and had made the apartment quaint and homey. She headed down the hallway that was identical to hers, holding all the doors to the bedrooms. The last door on the right, which was the sixth bedroom, was ajar.

She peered inside, watching in awe and feeling a little starstruck once more as she saw the band's practice room. All the instruments were set up in their respective places, with amplifiers, and it looked just like a real-live recording studio. There was even the equipment to record them.

Hilary looked around in excitement, before she noticed the window to the fire escape was open. She approached it slowly, finding Kaiya playing her guitar and singing. Hilary had never heard the girls perform a cover of any song before, but Kaiya was playing Paramore's _Decode_ and singing in a way that rivaled Hayley Williams' voice.

She had never heard Kaiya sing. Lien was the lead vocalist, and the back-up vocals were done by Talia. It was shocking, especially considering Kaiya's voice was melodic, just as pretty as Lien's.

"…_I'm screaming I love you so… But my thoughts you can't decode. How did we get here? When I used to know you so well… Yeah, how did we get here? Well I think I know, ohhh._" Kaiya's fingers moved perfectly, strumming the cords and her eyes were closed as she continued to sing. "_Do you see what we've done? We've gone and made such fools of ourselves. Do you see what we've done? We've gone and made such fools of ourselves… Yeah, how did we get here? When I used to know you so well. Yeah, yeah! Well how did we get here? Why won't you show yourself? I think I know! I think I know! Oh there is something I see in you, it might kill me, I want it to be true…_"

"That was amazing!"

The blond squeaked, whirling in surprise and pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh, Hilary! You startled me."

"I'm sorry." Hilary apologized, before she fidgeted a bit nervously. "You're really great. Not just with the guitar, but singing too…"

Kaiya smiled gently at her as she patted the spot beside her on the steps. The brunette quickly climbed out the window and then sat down beside her. Kaiya then surprisingly lifted the strap overhead and then shifted the guitar into Hilary's lap. She blushed faintly as Kaiya adjusted the strap and then took her hands, helping position them right as she handed Hilary the guitar pick.

"When I was fourteen, Sayuri paid for guitar lessons for me for my birthday. It was then we found out that I was talented. We took holiday in England after I graduated my first year of junior high. She managed to get me a gig at a poetry club. A talent scout happened to be there when I played. He is now our boss and is the one who made us into the band that we are. That was four years ago."

"Wow. So it was your playing and singing that started Celestial Neon?"

Kaiya nodded, before she showed her how to move her fingers along the bridge while strumming the cords. She continued her story as she continued to try and teach the brunette how to play.

"See, Mr. Grayson is Talia's uncle. He's raised her since she was young. She was only thirteen when she joined a heavy metal band. The band split when she was seventeen, and that was around the time that Mr. Grayson scouted me. Talia became our bassist, and her childhood friend Lien became our vocalist. At the time, Talia's boyfriend was our drummer. But James was fired after we found him cheating on Talia and he started harassing her. We came back to Japan after that, and then I asked my classmate and best friend Yue to join the band. She plays both the keyboard and drums for our band, since we haven't found a new drummer. It's hard on her at times, but she never gives up."

"This is amazing. I never knew that you guys had such a great back story!" Hilary winced as she messed up on the part she was trying to learn. "Ugh, I suck! Dammit, I want to play the guitar so I can be in the spotlight!"

Kaiya smiled, closing her docile green orbs.

"How about we try another instrument?"

"I do suck, huh?"

"No, no! Just not your forte is all."

Hilary scrunched up her nose, giving the blond an eye roll as Kaiya was handed back her guitar. _Sure, that's totally it. Not. Kaiya's too nice for her own good. She doesn't know the word "stranger" and is the sweetest girl ever, but sometimes I wish she would buck up. _

Following Kaiya back into the practice room, Hilary watched as Kaiya replaced her guitar on its stand. Hilary took one look at Talia's violet and black Demon Blade bass guitar, eyes sparkling.

"Um…not a good idea. Talia would eat anyone who touches her bass. Except for maybe Lien."

"Aww…" Hilary pouted, before her eyes landed on the keyboard. "Can I touch this?"

"Yes, Yue won't mind." Kaiya giggled, before she pulled out some sheet music. "Can you read sheet music?"

"Yeah. I did take choir in high school as an elective course. Kai took it with me."

"Really now?" Kaiya raised a finely arched brow at this. "I never pegged him to sing."

"He was the best male singer in the entire choir. He and I sang a duet for the graduation ceremony."

"Was it taped?"

"Yeah. Kai hid it though. He doesn't want Tyson or Max to see him singing."

Giggling a bit, Kaiya then set up the music on the stand for her.

Hilary steadily grew frustrated as the keyboard refused to make the correct sounds. She was about to beat the thing into submission when Kaiya hastily steered her away from it. Hilary pouted, flopping down onto the stool for the drum set, her boot pressing on the pedal below. Kaiya lifted her head from cuddling the keyboard protectively and shielding it from ultimate demise from the temperamental brunette, surprised to find the rhythm was perfect. Hilary was still pouting as she picked up one of the drum sticks.

The next thing either knew, Hilary was playing the drums like a pro, and Kaiya was gawking at her in disbelief.

She was even better than Yue.

"Hilary…"

Hilary was panting, looking exhilarated as she met the guitarist's eyes.

"Do you think you could play this?" Kaiya riffled through her folder, pulling out the sheet music for their hit song _Star by Night, Dreamer by Day_.

Hilary nodded and then started to play, keeping the rhythm perfectly. Emerald eyes were flickering, calculating in her sweet little head. She pulled out her cell phone and sent out a group text a moment later, after recording Hilary playing.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Hilary asked, as Kaiya stared at her with the biggest grin she had ever seen.

"Hilary, how would you like to be the drummer for Celestial Neon?"

"You're…kidding right?"

Kaiya shook her head, holding out her phone so Hilary could see the other band member's reactions to her playing. She gawked at the blond, who giggled slightly. Hilary then shrieked, leaping over the drum set and tackling Kaiya in a tight hug, shouting the word "yes!" over and over.

They had found the last piece of the puzzle.

Hilary.

* * *

"So why are we going out again tonight?" Yue asked, holding up a cute white and ruffled dress to her frame in the mirror of the department store.

Sayuri was shifting through the racks upon racks of clothes, glancing over at where Talia was cackling slightly and tugging a reluctant Lien over toward the short dresses that seemed a little revealing, with the shy and introverted of the pair attempting to flee from the crazy Brit. She then turned back to the blond, whose pigtails were moving up in down from where she was bouncing on the balls of her feet, trying to decide between two outfits.

"Well, Hiro asked us to go out and eat with them at the restaurant the White Tigers own." She heard a loud squeak as she said the words "White Tigers" before raising a brow to see Lien diving into a clothing rack. "Um… okay then. What the hell?" Shaking her head at the vocalist's actions, Sayuri turned back to looking at the dresses, trying to find a hot little red number for her to wear. "We now have a real reason to celebrate, since Hilary agreed to join the band."

"As much as I love the drums, I'm happy to go back to playing just one instrument! My hands were getting worn out from going back and forth!" Yue giggled, before she twirled some honey strands around her finger as electric yellow orbs blinked quizzically. "Hmm, should I go with this dress or maybe this skirt?"

Sayuri smiled at the youngest. "Trying to catch somebody's eye, Yue-chan?"

Yue giggled and gave a wink. "Maybe~" She rocked from side-to-side before finally settling on the dress. It was thin-strapped and ruffled lace, with an empire waist, and the hem fell to mid-thigh. With a pair of strappy heeled platform sandals, the blond would look darling and hot in it. "Hmm, I think I'll get this one!"

"Great choice, Yue." Talia commented, where she had picked out a black strapless dress that looked to be made out of spandex, along with a black denim jacket. She had the perfect stockings and heels to wear with it. Violet eyes narrowed on the clothing rack that was trembling. "Lien, what is your bloody deal, woman?"

"I-I think I'll just stay home tonight." the clothing rack squeaked.

Sayuri rubbed her temple before she shoved a hand into the rack, snagging the back of Lien's shirt and tugging her out into the open. She protested and tried to squirm free, especially as she was forced to stand in front of the mirror.

"Hold her," Sayuri ordered to the dark and bright pair.

Talia snagged Lien's right arm, while Yue glomped the left, preventing her from escaping as oh-so-desired. Sayuri then went back to the clothes, hunting for the perfect outfit.

"Eureka!" the brunette turned, grey-blue eyes impish as she smiled at them in their reflection. "Girls, get ready, because tonight we're going to make the boys fall to their knees and kiss the ground we walk on. Tonight, we are goddesses."

Talia smirked, "Oooh, I like the sound of this."

Even innocent Yue giggled. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Lien simply gave a small whimper.

* * *

_A/N: Bet no one saw that Hilary would be joining the band! Who liked that twist? :) So which girl from Celestial Neon is your favorite so far? Lien, Talia, Kaiya, Yue, or Sayuri? Let me know in your review, please!_

_I will update after I get at least __**3-5 Reviews. **__So go ahead and just let me know your thoughts on this? :)_

_Next Chapter: "Haunting"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	4. Chapter 4 Haunting

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Haunting**_

Paper lanterns glowed like fireflies in the dimly lit restaurant, with dark curtains pulled over the windows to give them some peace while they dined. They had closed the restaurant for their patrons, simply wanting some time to spend together. Life was unpredictable, and none knew when they would be able to take advantage of these cherished moments together again.

They had pushed several of the small square tables together, laughing and telling stories about their youth. Celestial Neon had the blessing of meeting their smallest fan, with little Zephyra squealing over her autographed poster. She was soon taken upstairs and put to bed by her doting father, for the Wong siblings lived in the loft above.

Sayuri had meant what she said about dressing to kill. Her red halter-top dress had definitely caught Hiro's attention, with him taking in her curves and feeling himself aching to hold her close again. He really was kicking himself in the ass for ever letting her go. She was still as beautiful and sexy as she had been all those years ago.

It didn't help that she knew he wanted her. Sayuri was using it to her advantage, especially as she chatted with Tyson, her actions motherly but also she made sure to point out how handsome Tyson had grown over the years, rubbing it in Hiro's face which brother had the fame and fortune and which had been a failure in many ways.

She was currently drinking some _sake_ with Talia, who surprisingly had Kai by her side. He was sending an air to tell the other men to stay away. Perhaps in warning for their lives; perhaps simply because he had actually bonded with her. They were similar in personality, but Talia was quicker to open up to the others about her thoughts and opinions.

Either way, they had a bond that was better left unspoken.

Yue was flirting with Kenny, twirling her hair and causing the young scientist to blush so deeply he seemed as if he would remain red for the rest of his life. Max was nudging Ray, the two of them cheering on their younger friend. It was about time someone noticed Kenny for his awesomeness, in their opinion. They only hoped he used his intelligence to keep his crush on Ming-Ming under wraps, for she was the biggest rival for Celestial Neon.

Ray would know. He ended up having to swim across the river just to save his ass from Ming-Ming groupies.

His golden gaze had barely left the darling redhead who was seated beside Hilary across from him, everyone celebrating Hilary's joining of the band. Salima was completely in bestie mode however, and Ray was having trouble stringing two words together around her.

It hadn't helped that it had first been extremely awkward seeing Mariah and Mystel outside of work - he normally only saw them whenever he came by to lend a hand. It had been years, but it still stung slightly to see Mariah so happy and in love with someone else.

She had been his first love.

That didn't change the fact that Ray was incredibly happy and supportive of Mariah and her husband. Seeing Zephyra - the mirror image of her parents - always reminded him that everything happened for a reason. If Mariah and Mystel had never ended up together, then the sweet little girl would've never been born.

She was his goddaughter.

He loved her as if she was his own.

Ray glanced back at Salima, who was giggling. Her slate orbs had finally met his, with her lips forming a tender smile at him. He felt that same rush that hit him, as it always had every time he saw his close friend. He wasn't sure when the feelings had started - probably when he was fifteen - and when they hit him like a ton of bricks when they were finally reunited after those years, Ray had been startled.

What he felt for Salima was so much different in comparison to what he had once felt for Mariah.

She had actually been cool with the whole dating charade. She knew immediately that Ray didn't have an interest in Kaiya. She thought that what the Bladebreakers were doing for the band was sweet, since it was helping their ratings, publicity, and definitely increasing their popularity. More popularity meant more sales, more concerts, and more funds they needed to support their families.

Ray glanced at Kaiya, his partner - the only term he could really apply to the guitarist. She was sitting over at the bar area, overlooking a variety of sketches done by the one and only Oliver Polanski. It had been a little surprising to have Oliver show up at the restaurant earlier that day, but it had been a great surprise for the Bladebreakers, whom were extremely close to the Majestics.

Oliver's father was the one who owned the _Tiger Lily _and was helping the Wong siblings run the restaurant they had opened together. He supported the White Tiger clan wholeheartedly, and their restaurant had become well-known. The French billionaire was clearly pleased in his decision.

It had just been a little surprising to see how quickly Oliver and Kaiya had clicked. Ray assumed it was due to their artistic personalities. They seemed to become friends within a matter of minutes, and for the past hour or so, they had secluded themselves and seemed to be in their own little world. Ray wasn't sure if it was a start of anything romantic yet, but he had slight hopes. Kaiya was a total sweetheart and Oliver was one of the nicest guys Ray had ever met. They seemed like they would be a good match.

Ray glanced at his close friend beside him, blinking once in surprise to catch Max staring at Hilary. The blond quickly looked away and quickly took a bite of one of his egg rolls, distracting himself with food. Ray did a quick scan and realized he had been the only one to notice the freckled blond's actions.

It took him all of three seconds to piece together the one thing that had been ignorant to them all for the past six years.

_I got your back, Max. _Ray thought.

It was the least he could do. Max had been doing the best he could to help Ray get with Salima.

"Gary, for the last time, stop raiding the stock! There is food _right here_!"

"There they go again," Mariah giggled, before she hopped up and hurried to the kitchen. "Oi, would the three of you stop working already and get your butts out here and spend time with your friends! It's always work, work, work, work with you guys! Live a little."

"But Mariah, we can't! We have a shit ton of work to finish up and - Okay, okay! Ow! Let go of my ear already, dammit!"

Lee was drug out of the kitchens by his sister, with him rubbing his ear the moment he was released. Mariah simply grabbed the front of his yellow top, dragging him once more, and the doors swung open behind them. Gary followed and took a seat at the end of the table, next to Tyson, and the two of them started a rematch of some sort. The only explanation they were given was the two had once had a food eating contest, with Gary being the victor.

After he had accidentally bit Tyson's arm.

"Lee, there's somebody I want you to meet." Mariah insisted, with her brother sending her an annoyed look. She snatched his ear again, jerking him down so she could hiss in it. "Look, you need to settle down with a nice girl already and she's a total sweetheart, is Chinese, and is cute as hell! If you ever want to teach your niece how to Beyblade then you better do as I say!"

"Okay, okay, geez! Let go of me, sis!"

Satisfied, Mariah released his now red and throbbing ear. Lee rubbed it, glaring at her as he muttered. "You got some damn claws…"

"I sharpen them too. Watch it. Brother or not, I am not afraid to maim you."

"Understood."

Lee rolled his eyes, before Mariah once again snagged his arm, pulling him over to the table where a particular girl had scooted her chair over to during the process of dinner, once all eyes had left her. Her obsidian locks had been - thankfully - left alone in their twin tails, and she was looking a little uncomfortable in her outfit, but she didn't have much choice in what she wore whenever Sayuri got into one of her fashionista moods. Her palms ran against the silk material of her Oriental dress, the trim of it silver, and it a navy shade. The hem stopped only at her knees, with slits stopping at mid-thigh. A pair of black flats completed the look.

It had been a long time since Lien had dressed like this. She could remember her mother wearing beautiful dresses such as this for her performances, where she would dance on stage and entice the crowds, making her father fall in love with her all over again. Her mother had been as beautiful and as elegant as a swallow-tail butterfly.

Still, Lien wished she was back in her t-shirt, leggings and converse. As much as she wanted to feel as beautiful and elegant as her mother before her, she just knew it wasn't in her. So she had once again fallen back into her shy persona - like a butterfly herself - shying away from the festivities as she lost herself to her thoughts.

It wasn't that she wasn't enjoying the time spent with the Bladebreakers, White Tigers, and her bandmates…

She just didn't know what to do or say.

Lien had always been that way.

So there she sat at her lone table, smiling to herself as she saw her friends enjoying themselves and having a great time. She was fine just observing. Her blue eyes glanced around the room, noticing Kevin keeping to himself across the room as well, just picking up and idly cleaning. He didn't seem to be in a sociable mood either.

Her eyes then locked on Mariah, who was gently shoving Lee forward and in her direction.

"Go on…say hi!"

Lee quickly caught himself, sending a small glare over his shoulder as the pinkette then returned to Hilary's side, for the girls were now in a deep discussion about Hilary's band attire for the first concert that Celestial Neon would be holding the upcoming weekend. He then turned his attention back on the girl that Mariah was insisting he try and get to know.

He remembered her very well. The first time they had met, she had looked ready to fall over in shock. She was so shy and backwards. It was endearing, but it didn't help that Lee was awkward with women in general.

So there they were, caught in an awkward silence.

"Um… hi." Lee finally said. "We weren't properly introduced before. I'm Lee."

She nervously looked down at her lap, speaking quietly. "I know. The White Tigers are my favorite team… you're actually really strong. I admire that."

Lee felt his face heat up. He hadn't met many girls that were fans of him. Most girls had been fans of Ray.

"So you sing for a living? You're Lien, right? Or wait… you're not Kaiya…? I can't keep you guys straight. I'm horrible with names."

Lee took the seat across from her.

"Um…I'm Lien."

Suddenly, she didn't seem like she was up for conversation.

"Anyway, thanks for coming over and saying hullo, but I think that I'm just going to call it a night." Lien stood up and grabbed her purse, slinging it over her shoulder. "Can you go ahead and tell the others that I left for the night?"

"Sure thing…"

Lee felt like an idiot now. He had clearly offended her. Before he had a chance to apologize, however, she was unlocking the front door and hurrying out. Lee groaned and sighed heavily, shaking his head, feeling foolish.

The glare and the look on his sister's face signaled he would be getting an earful later too.

Great.

Just great.

_Way to freakin' go, moron._

"Hey, where did Lien go?" Yue piped up, noticing their singer's absence immediately.

"She…said she went on home…" Lee mumbled.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Hilary replied. "We should head on home for the night."

Talia was immediately on her feet, about to rush out and go after Lien, when Kai grabbed her arm and stopped her. She blinked and opened her mouth to demand why the hell he had stopped her, when he pointed toward the door. Violet irises swirled in anger and confusion, before she noticed Kevin disappearing out the door.

"She'll be fine." Ray immediately reassured the Brit. "Kevin will make sure she gets home safe. He's just that kind of guy."

Talia relaxed a degree. "Well, I'm too restless to head back yet. I'm going for a walk myself. I'll catch you girls back at home."

As soon as she headed out the door, Kai followed suit. Whether he went to go with her or to head on his own, no one knew, nor did they question it.

"Well, let's head on back to my house then." Salima said, turning to Hilary.

"It's not that far of a walk from here, right?"

"It's a few blocks," the redhead admitted, glancing at Ray. "Why?"

He nudged Max, who jolted slightly. "Max and I will walk you two there."

"You don't have to do that." Hilary said, before she paused. "Better yet, thanks! C'mon, we better get going before it gets any later."

They soon were on their way and out the door. Tyson glanced at the remaining ones, before he had an idea.

"Oi, Oliver."

"Yes?" the greenette glanced at his friend in question.

"Where you staying at?"

"Um, well, I am checked into a hotel…"

Tyson made a face at that. "Dude, no way. You can just stay with us. You're going to be in town for awhile. You're welcome at our place. So c'mon, let's go get your stuff and head on over."

"I appreciate it, Tyson." Oliver smiled, looking forward to getting to spend some time with them.

"Alright, then let's head on out!"

As they went to gather their coats and their belongings, thanking the White Tigers for dinner, Tyson then paused and started to grin devilishly. Hiro immediately felt paranoia wash over him at the look in his brother's stormy blue eyes.

"By the way, you're in charge of getting Yuri home."

"Why me?"

"You're the one with the car and she's tipsy." Tyson remarked. "Oh, you're going to have her place all to yourselves too. The girls are crashing over at our place! So…see ya!"

Before Hiro could protest, Tyson had zipped out the door.

_I am going to be an only child by the end of the night. Mark my words._

Being alone with Sayuri anymore was a dangerous thing.

Being alone with a drunk Sayuri was even more frightening to think about.

Hiro sighed, glancing over at the brunette, whose cheeks were flushed and she was giving him a look. He wasn't sure if she seemed pleased or upset about the fact they were alone together. All he knew was that the urge to beat Tyson senseless was strong.

"Well, Prince Charming, shouldn't you be helping the damsel in distress home?" Sayuri quipped, swaying slightly as she tried to head for the door.

Hiro immediately linked his arm through hers. "Trust me, Sayuri, you are far from a damsel in distress."

She snorted at that. "Suuuuuuure." She then staggered a bit as they stepped out into the cool air of the night, her arms wrapping around his neck to steady herself. "You know…you have gorgeous brown eyes. They're sweet. Still innocent. If only the person inside was just as sweet still." She snorted again, before rolling her eyes and then pushing him away. "Jus'… keep your hands to yourself, buddy. I'm still in my right mind to not kiss you, no matter how sexy you are."

"Good to know you still find me sexy." Hiro chuckled a bit, before he gently took her hand, trying to steer her to the car. "C'mon, woman, before you end up finding your way into a club and start dancing in one of the cages."

"You'd like to see that, wouldn't you? You pervert…" Sayuri once again tried to pull free, only to nearly trip in her heels. She growled and kicked them off, picking them up. "Screw your car! I'm free and over twenty-one. I'll walk home, dammit…"

"Think of your stepsister. She'll be worried sick about you if you did that." Hiro quickly hurried to catch up to her.

Sayuri stumbled again, this time catching herself with one of the lamp posts. A stray curl had flown into her eyes, swirling in that perfect blend of grey and blue. Hiro chuckled again softly. Her ruby lips were pouty as she glared at him.

"Stop…looking at me…like that!"

She jabbed him in his chest, half-tempted to pitch one of her red heels at his head. Hiro simply grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer, making sure she didn't fall over.

The moment he caught scent of her perfume, he felt himself swallowing hard. No matter how many years it had been, she still favored the same perfume. The scent alone triggered so many memories. Sneaking bottles of wine, being partners in crime, and always finding ways to get into trouble.

He wished he could push rewind, redo everything, go back to all that they had.

_Why couldn't I see that you were the one?_

"Do you remember when we started this mess?" he asked quietly, before he gently brushed that stray brown curl back out of her face.

Her eyes softened, misting over slowly. "Yeah… and then you left it all, like a big dummy."

"I am a dummy… but I was always your dummy."

She tried to push him away again, but caught herself.

Maybe it was the buzz she had. Maybe it was the fact he looked so damn sexy right now, underneath the lamp light, looking at her with those sweet brown eyes. Maybe it was how warm he felt, with his arms around her. Maybe it was the way his cologne made him smell really good and simply made her ache to be close to him again.

On instinct, she eliminated the space between them, standing on tip-toe as she yanked him down and captured his lips, kissing him passionately and messily. His arms wrapped around her immediately, surges of memory and emotion washing over him.

Her taste, the feel of her in his arms, and the softness of her lips were all familiar.

Haunting.

He knew he shouldn't be kissing her back. He knew the right thing was to push her away and get her home and tuck her in, kiss her forehead, and fall asleep holding her.

She wasn't a little girl anymore though.

Selfishly, Hiro didn't want to push Sayuri away.

Pushing her away again wasn't the answer.

If only he knew how to find a way to go back and start all over.

* * *

_A/N: Drunk Sayuri is lulzy! I also really enjoy writing sibling bonds, especially Mariah and Lee. It's hilarious! :p_

_So go ahead and just let me know your thoughts on this? :)_

_Next Chapter: "Desires"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	5. Chapter 5 Desires

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

_**Desires**_

Her footsteps fell briskly against the concrete, hugging herself and rubbing her bare arms, trying to fight against the chill. It was all she could do to break through the rush of incoherent thoughts. There wasn't really a destination in mind in the unfamiliar city. All she knew was that she just wanted to get away for awhile.

So her feet kept moving forward down the dark and vacant streets.

Why was it so hard for her to be like the others? She wanted nothing more than to befriend the Bladebreakers and White Tigers; to not feel out of place. Yet no matter what, she couldn't seem to find a way to open up to them. It was becoming frustrating, quickly.

Lien was beginning to loathe her quiet nature. Sometimes, she longed to be outgoing like Yue and Kaiya; longed to be able to voice her opinions and stand her ground like Talia. Just to for once feel powerful and stand up for herself against the world, like Sayuri did.

Four years was a long time. She had grown close to each and every one of them, building a sisterhood. Being an only child, she didn't know the blessing that was a sibling. Her grandfather, though he loved her, was stiff and struggled to show affection toward her, despite the fact he had raised her.

Talia was the first friend she had ever really made. She was tough, strong, and independent. She was able to protect them both against the cruelties of other students at their private school. They mocked Lien because of her heritage, because she was different and didn't know how to stick up for herself. They saw her as weak; an easy target to take their own insecurities out on.

In the back of her mind, the memory of that day was still vibrant and strong, moving pictures in her head playing on repeat. Swings swaying in the wind, creaking slightly. Her small frame hitting the ground, desperately trying to block her face from the inevitable pain that would come.

It hadn't though - she had looked up and seen black and purple strands cascading through the air as her hair danced around her face, features twisted in rage. Her hand caught the fist, before the girl who had thrown the punch was then flat on her back, with Talia fisting her shirt and threatening to ruin her pretty face if she ever touched Lien ever again.

After, Talia had helped Lien home. She had stayed the night, with them talking all night long. Talia Grayson had been the first person that she had ever opened up to. That was the day they had became friends.

She had only been eight at the time.

Lien stopped walking as she heard a familiar clanging sound, turning to look down at the bank of the river. Even with it so late at night, there were still teens out and playing Beyblade. She watched the group of four curiously, seeing how they were cheering each other on as they battled it out. Beyblade had always fascinated her, but Lien knew that she was much too shy and not assertive enough to play the sport.

Besides, Sayuri wasn't too happy about the thought of them playing anyway. She had once competed and been on a team of Beybladers. She said that it wasn't a great career choice, that it wouldn't amount to much. They were better off performing. They had promising futures now.

If only her future was full of dreams, like the others.

Lien once again moved, away from the sound of blades spinning and the friends cheering each other on. She reached the bridge, turning and glancing at the buildings, their lights like beacons and illuminating against the dark sky. Her bright blue orbs gazed up at the stars as she finally leaned against the concrete railing of the bridge, just listening to the cicadas and the rushing of the river water.

She shivered, but she didn't feel like heading home yet. It was hard to really have privacy and time to think when one lived with four other people, despite the respect they had for one another's privacy. It was why she understood so well why Talia would venture off on her own, spending hours on the roof or at the park.

They were similar in their loneliness, and therefore they had found a bond…

If only they could find a way to let more people in.

"She's probably going to be mad though… Unfamiliar city and alone and out on the streets…" Lien sighed, rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm herself, closing her eyes. "I wonder if she even tried to follow me…"

Lien jerked as she heard rapid footsteps, heavy breathing reaching her ears. She whirled around, tensing for a moment. She was surprised to see a familiar face at the end of the bridge. His chest was rising and falling as he caught his breath, his lips parted and revealing a small flash of fang as his visible violet eye locked on her. Without saying a word, he immediately walked forward.

The moment Kevin Cheng's hands touched her bare arms, tugging her forward and pressing her against him, Lien felt the world shift in a way it hadn't before. Suddenly, the shades of the world were vibrant, flashes of cosmic color as the neon night surrounded them. Too stunned to really move, her eyes finally closed as she finally felt the air return to her lungs.

His embrace was the first warmth she really felt in a long time.

Strange, considering he was someone she barely knew…

"Are you alright…? He didn't hurt you, did he…?"

She opened her eyes slowly as she felt that warm whisper against her ear, withdrawing slowly and shaking her head. A look of relief crossed Kevin's features a moment later, before he noticed her shivering. Without a second thought, the greenette shrugged off his black windbreaker, placing it around her shoulders. Her porcelain cheeks turned pink at once, with her biting down on her lower lip.

"Why…?"

"You showed me kindness, even though I was a complete stranger. Sometimes, the world just needs a little more kindness. You need a friend, right? Well, here I am."

"You didn't have to come looking for me… I would've been alright by myself."

"I know you would've, but it's not in my nature to let a pretty girl walk the streets alone at night. Call me old-fashioned, but my code of honor told me to hightail my butt after you and make sure you got home safe." Kevin closed his eyes, giving her a cheeky grin. "C'mon, don't feel bad. We're friends."

"We're…friends?"

The surprise that laced her sweet voice hadn't gone unnoticed.

Purple eyes opened, locking on Lien at once.

"Hey now, don't sound so surprised. Just 'cause we only met a few days ago doesn't mean that we aren't friends. All of us have accepted Celestial Neon as our friends. Just like we did the Bladebreakers. And we'll all be here for you guys, no matter what happens. You only have one life - so I say let's live it to the fullest each and every day."

Lien smiled, blushing more deeply now before she glanced at her flats. Kevin was rubbing the back of his neck now, fingers brushing through forest green strands as he glanced at his skate shoes.

"Besides, someone important to me has shown me that even the smallest act of kindness can save someone's life."

"They must mean a lot to you if their kindness helped you so much." Lien said slowly, before she finally met his eyes. "Thank you…Kevin."

It was the first time she had ever spoken his name.

"Anytime, Lien." Kevin then offered his hand out to her. "C'mon, let's get you home."

She hesitated, with him immediately reading the signs.

"You don't want to go home, do you?"

She shook her head, obsidian tresses dancing around her frame as she hugged herself. Kevin chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment, trying to think of a solution. It was getting really late, already past ten o'clock. A bunch of creeps usually came out after midnight.

He knew he could protect her, but Kevin never wanted to be put in a situation where Lien would be in danger.

The idea struck him.

It was completely and utterly insane, but…

He wanted to take a chance.

"Well… would you like to stay at my place? I'm off work tomorrow. Maybe we could do something."

Lien stared at him, completely stunned by the idea. She had never known anyone to be so forward before. Yet, it was Kevin Cheng. She had come to know him very well through his friends, even if this was their second conversation.

The good girl inside of her told her to march herself home and go to bed.

_I'm tired of always playing it safe… I'm tired of seeing nothing but grey. Life is meant to be lived, not wandered through. Observing the world, watching it pass by… no more._

So for the first time in her life, Lien Tseng found herself being impulsive.

"That sounds wonderful."

She took his hand.

* * *

Laughter echoed through the air as they walked together. Ray seemed to have found a little more confidence, pointing out constellations as he walked beside Salima. He reached out, fingers brushing against her hand, before Salima smiled tenderly and their palms met, fingers lacing slowly. Ray's cheeks filled with a slight blush, before Salima gave a small chuckle, walking closer.

Behind them, the blond and brunette witnessed the first step in the close friends' relationship, with the two of them grinning wildly. They had been talking and growing closer for months, and it was about time that Ray had taken that first step.

If only Max had the courage to do the same thing.

He glanced at Hilary beside him, feeling that familiar rush of warmth that seemed to hit whenever he looked at her. There they were, walking the streets, and he couldn't help but think how easy it was.

It felt natural.

"They are just so cute together, don't you think?" Hilary said, giggling slightly as she playfully nudged Max with her shoulder.

He gave his own chuckle, feeling a static shock go through his system as their skin brushed. Max glanced back up at where Ray and Salima were walking, with the redhead moving around puddles and they were hopping over cracks. Their actions were innocent and sweet.

"They really are. Ray is crazy about her. He just is afraid of messing up."

"Salima is so laid back though. Honestly, she's just as crazy about him. She's waiting for him to make the first move though. She knows he's been through a lot, especially with Mariah."

"I'm just happy they found each other again."

"Exactly. It took them long enough, but they finally realized that they belonged together. Now they're just taking it slow."

Max nodded, inwardly screaming that she belonged with him, but he wasn't able to voice it. He knew that while Hilary was constantly on his mind, her thoughts were on another.

His best friend.

"So, how are things going with Tyson?"

The happiness on her face faded, before Hilary sighed, rubbing her arm as she looked down, shaking her head as her chocolate hair framed it.

"I… don't even know. Some times, he acts interested. Most of the time, he picks fights with me and pushes me away. It's confusing and irritating." Garnet orbs glanced at Max under her bangs, filled with curiosity. "Why? Has he said anything…?"

"Tyson is…unpredictable. I'm not even sure if he's interested in a relationship, honestly. He doesn't talk about girls like the rest of us. He's got his head in the game and wondering what he's going to eat next."

"I figured as much…" Hilary sighed heavily. "I mean, I understand that. Some people just want to focus on other things. Dealing with a relationship, drama, flirting… it's exhausting."

"Well… maybe you just haven't noticed the right person yet."

Max rubbed the back of his head, fingers toying with his blond locks. She was looking deep in thought now, eyes barely noticing that they had reached Salima's neighborhood, where she lived with her grandmother. Their friends had stopped in front of the two-story house, where Ray had just opened the gate for her, and was now walking her to the front porch. Max glanced and immediately felt his face heat up, gawking a bit.

Ray had just leaned in and kissed Salima.

Hilary quickly clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle her squeal of happiness, before she felt Max's hand grab hers. He quickly pulled her back down the street, giving the two of them some privacy. Hilary was surprised to feel her cheeks warm as she glanced down at the sight of Max's hand cupped around hers.

The way her hand fit in his…

It was a perfect fit.

Strange. She had never held Max's hand before. In the six years they had known each other, and yet she only recalled them hugging once or twice. Still, she could remember how warm he was and the way he smelled. He smelled really good too.

_Wait, why am I thinking about Max? I should be thinking about Tyson._

She had been crushing on Tyson since she was fourteen-years-old.

"Man, that was close." Max chuckled, noticing they were still holding hands, before he quickly let go. "Sorry, Hil."

"No, it's fine, Maxie." Hilary smiled at him, before she brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "I was a little surprised to see him kiss her. That was bold."

"It's about time." Max simply replied, grinning himself. "I remember how I felt when Mariam kissed me! We went on one date, and then she stole my first kiss."

Hilary was surprised to see him scrunching up his nose, freckles standing out as he did so.

"She stole it?"

"Yeah… Mariam's kind of assertive and forward."

"Is that why you two aren't talking anymore?"

"She accused me of cheating on her with Talia, even though Mariam and I weren't dating. We were just talking and getting to know each other. All we had was one date last year and it didn't work out. Apparently she wanted to try again, but it's not going to work out. I don't need someone harping at me and calling me names."

Max had leaned against one of the trees lining the street, looking up at the sky. Hilary could see that what Mariam had said had actually really hurt him. She was surprised to feel as angry as she did toward the female Saint Shield.

"Maxie, you are one of the sweetest, most compassionate and caring guys I have ever met. You would never cheat or lie. You're just not that kind of person."

He nodded, looking at her as his blue eyes misted over. Hilary could easily see the tempest of emotion swirling in the ocean blue irises. She reached over, placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Mariam isn't worth this. There was millions of girls out there who can see you for who you are, including me. You are amazing, Max."

"So are you, Hilary." Max swallowed hard, lowering his eyes to his sneakers. "I'm sorry Ty is so oblivious…and I'm sorry that Kai hurt you."

"Kai, I'm completely over. I was just being a stupid high school girl. He was the bad boy and I was the good girl who wanted to live a little dangerously. As for Tyson… I dunno. It bothers me a little, but I can't force somebody to like me or date me. So, I'm content with being just friends. Doesn't mean I don't care about him any less… but maybe you're right. Maybe there is somebody else out there for me."

"There definitely is, Hilary."

_I'm standing right beside you…_

He wanted to drop down on one knee, beg her to run away with him, to get married and have a wonderful life together. Max was so head over heels in love with the beautiful young woman beside him, it was taking all of his self-control to keep him from doing that.

This wasn't a fairytale.

He wasn't a prince.

He was simply himself.

Max took a deep breath, leaning his head back against the tree, his eyes seeing an airplane going across the night sky.

"'Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now…'"

Hilary looked up as well, before she moved her hand down his shoulder, surprising them both as she cupped his hand in hers once more.

"Then let's pretend, Maxie. What would you wish for?"

"Your happiness."

The answer was automatic, falling from his lips before Max realized he had even spoken them. Hilary's face was pink, as pink as her dress, and she stared at him in bewilderment. His own face flamed, with Max quickly looking away, scratching at his cheek.

"Sorry…"

"That was so sweet, Max. I just…didn't expect that, is all."

"You have to realize something, Hilary. You are my best friend. I've never been this close to anyone before, and that includes Tyson, Kai, Ray, and Kenny. You're…honestly the only person I can be this open and honest with. And yet, it's hard for me to be able to tell you everything…"

"Everyone has secrets, Maxie. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"What would you wish for…?"

"Just somebody to hold me close and tell me they love me, flaws and all, and would be willing to stay by my side. I know, it's a fairytale wish, but… part of me just wants true love. Someone faithful and honest." She gave a soft laugh. "I'm being silly. Here I am, twenty-years-old, and I sound as if I'm in junior high. Oh well. Maybe one day."

"It will happen, Hilary."

Hilary smiled, before she noticed Ray was coming down the street, grinning from ear-to-ear. She moved to step away, only to realize that Max's hand was still cupped around hers.

"Hilary, wait…"

Garnet eyes blinked, before she glanced over her shoulder curiously at the younger blond.

"What is it, Max?"

"I promise you, that if you haven't found that prince… or whatever it is you're looking for, I'll be right here beside you. Always."

Her lips formed that adorable smile.

"Then how about this, Maxie! If I'm still single by my twenty-first birthday, then you and I will get married!"

"Then you better get ready to pick out that white dress, Hil."

She blushed, giggling before she gently pulled free, turning to hurry on down the street and to head inside with Salima. Ray finally reached where Max was waiting underneath the tree. Both were sporting wide grins.

"She's amazing," they both said, before they chuckled.

"Things going well then?" Max asked, as Ray and he started to turn and head back in the direction of home.

"Definitely. We're going out this weekend on our first date."

"I'm happy for you, Ray. Salima is awesome. You two match well."

"So do Hilary and you."

Max blushed deeply, caught off-guard.

"Um…what?"

"Max, you're really good at keeping secrets, but I can tell now… you care about Hilary way more than you've ever let on. And in my opinion, you two are a perfect match. We just need to get her fixation off Tyson."

"Ray…"

"Yeah?"

"…I love her…"

Ray placed a hand on Max's shoulder, giving it a brotherly squeeze.

"I know you do, man. And I'm going to make sure that you're the one standing by her on her wedding day."

"You mean it?"

"I swear."

They allowed the silence to fall between them, both feeling the sweet embrace of love.

* * *

She reached the entrance of the park, listening with her keen ears for the sounds of children's laughter or running feet, but she didn't hear any. Her eyes drifted to one of the old clocks on a lamp post, and she realized it was too late in the evening for any children to still be at the park. The only beings remaining would be stray dogs and cats, couples sneaking in for a romantic stroll, or maybe even a lonely old man sitting on the park bench trying desperately to dwindle away time before having to return to his lonely home.

Talia paused as she finally reached her destination - the blading dishes used for younger kids who wanted to learn how to blade and grow up to be just like all the famous Beyblading teams within the world. She loomed over a deep blue dish, seeing the marks from the razor sharp attack rings on the sides, and seeing how worn down they had become over years of daily use.

_Remind me to take some of my paycheck and donate some new dishes for these kids…_

Violet eyes traveled around the dish as her heart began to accelerate a little, her fingertips brushing against the cold metal of an outer ring in her pocket, before her hand grasped around the medium-sized top. Talia withdrew it slowly, opening her palm as the lamp post light reflected off the violet, blue, silver, and black Beyblade.

Her breath trembled as she closed her eyes, pressing the blade over her rapidly beating heart, before she set up the launcher. She had to do this herself, not letting the others know what she was trying to attempt. Beyblading was in her blood, and shame coursed through her for never grasping the gift that dwelled within her next to her gift of music.

"Hold your arms out straighter, and try to control your nerves. You're shaking more than a leaf."

Her body tensed at first, relaxing as Kai emerged from the darkness. His cold eyes flickered over to her blade, sizing it up in his head, and predicting the outcome of her first launch. Talia bit her lip, fighting against her nerves knotting her stomach, and finally ceased her shaking enough to keep her arms straight.

"Breathe in and out…"

She closed her eyes, Kai's voice wrapping around his words, and she followed each and every instruction he was giving her. She didn't need to question them or his motives. Trust was something she found precious and it was something she didn't allow very often, but she was one-hundred percent certain she trusted Kai.

He was the only other person she had managed to open up to next to Lien.

"Now… launch!"

Her finger pulled the trigger, the blade whizzing through the air, and rebounding off the side of the dish, sparks illuminating in the darkness. Talia's eyes followed her blade as it wobbled somewhat, but shockingly it stayed on course, spinning around and encircling the middle of the dish.

"Focus and connect your thoughts on just the blade."

Talia gave a slight nod, watching the blade zig-zag according to her thoughts. Kai watched, impression flickering in his eyes as Talia finally moved her feet, the blade mimicking her moves as she jerked and danced around the dish. He smirked as the blade did a back-flip, landing just as shakily as Talia had.

"Why are you here?" Talia asked softly, retrieving the blade, and slipping it back into her jacket pocket.

"It wasn't safe," Kai replied shortly.

Her eyes widened and she turned to look at him in disbelief. "You were… worried about me?"

"No," Kai snorted.

She twitched a little at the coldness that racked through his voice.

"Well, then, good! I can sure as hell take care of myself!" Talia replied hotly, turning on her heel to storm away.

"I knew that, that's why I wasn't worried."

Talia froze and slowly peered over her shoulder. Kai had his arms crossed, staring out into the distance, not really acknowledging her with his eyes though she knew he was watching her every move. Nothing ever got passed Kai Hiwatari.

"Then tell me why you followed me here."

"I knew what you've been trying to hide… you've been sneaking out to learn how to Beyblade. I knew the day you came late to band practice. You had stopped by Max's father's shop and purchased parts to a blade, and stayed up that night building it…"

Talia lowered her gaze to her feet. "What have you been doing, stalking me?"

Kai rolled his eyes. "No. I've been observing a good blader trying to break free and out of her shell."

"Still sounds like you've been a creeper, Kai."

"Believe whatever you want, just don't come crawling to me when Sayuri finds out."

"I don't need Sayuri this time! This is something I can do on my own!"

A small smirk formed on his lips that looked as if it was truly a hidden smile as Kai started to pass her by, hands in his pockets, and scarf flowing elegantly behind him.

"…Prove it."

"And what if I do? What's the going to do, Kai?"

He paused, lowering his gaze to his feet.

"Earn my respect."

Talia hesitated for a moment. She didn't fathom why she ached to have his respect, his trust, or his acceptance. It was so unlike her to feel so weak when it came to another person. Yet, Kai also made her feel strong. Much stronger than she already felt.

"Why are you trying to Beyblade?"

"It's more than a game to me." Talia answered honestly, a hundred memories flashing across her mind. "It was something that helped me find some solace…"

"When did you start?"

"I was nine… it was after I shortly joined the band… I was angry all the time. My mother, she took off, left me with Uncle Ryan. He wasn't around much. He simply hired others to look after me. So… it helped me cool down. I was able to feel strong. A lot stronger than a nine-year-old kid should."

"So why did you stop?"

"Lien… it was shortly after we joined Celestial Neon. I got into an argument with Sayuri about one of the concerts. I took off, on my own. I never expected her to follow me, but she did. She found me just as I lost control of my blade. It struck her… I remember the blood and the way she screamed. She still has a scar. Every time I see it, I flinch. I hurt my only friend. After Sayuri found out about the incident, she forbade us to Beyblade. That was four years ago…"

"But now, you feel confident enough to use a blade without harming your friends."

"I want to be stronger. This isn't just a game to me. It's burning in my blood, Kai. I _must_ become stronger."

Kai closed his eyes and sighed deeply, before he looked down.

"Do the others know about your mother's abandonment?"

"No. You're the only one I've told besides Lien."

"I'll keep it to myself then."

"Thank you, Kai."

"Be careful."

She nodded, touched by the amount of concern he had displayed toward her, before Talia took out her launcher and blade, setting them up once more. Soon, the only sounds of night that could be heard were the sounds of metal clanging and the leaves rustling in the wind.

* * *

_A/N: Honestly, I really adore all the couples in this chapter. It's so easy to write them and envision their emotions and feelings. Please, let me know what your guys' take was on this emotional chapter!_

_Next Chapter: "Shadow of the Day"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	6. Chapter 6 Shadow of the Day

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 6**_

_**Shadow of the Day**_

Tyson gave a loud yawn, rubbing his tired eyes as he wandered out into the living room late the next morning. He took one glance around the room and paused, tilting his head to the side, listening for the sounds of his roommates. He could hear voices coming from the kitchen, and the hide-a-bed was pulled out, with Yue and Kenny both still asleep.

When he had gone to bed last night about four in the morning after spending half the night watching movies with Kenny, Oliver, Yue, and Kaiya, he had gone to bed with the four of them all bundled up on the large pull-out. Yue and Kenny must have snuggled together some time after Kaiya and Oliver had gotten up for the day.

Shrugging, the younger Granger turned on heel and then shuffled his way as quietly as he could toward the kitchen, opening the door. He wasn't at all surprised to find the rest of his roommates up and about. They normally were up long before him anyway. His eyes narrowed at once as he realized his brother wasn't among them.

_Oh shit. Don't tell me…_

Yup. He did.

_I am going to end up becoming an only child by the time I find him. If he did something stupid while Yuri was drunk…_

Knowing his brother, that's _exactly_ what happened.

And here Tyson was supposed to be the naïve one? Hah. As if. Try having one infamous Hiro Granger as an elder brother and then try being naïve. It was mainly because of Hiro and his failed relationships with women that turned Tyson off to the idea of dating in general.

His eyes flickered over to where a certain brunette was sitting in the booth that lined the far wall, large enough to seat all of them, underneath the double-door windows, which had been opened from where Hilary had been tending to the plants on the sill. She was sitting in-between Max and Ray, with the freckled blond focused on a story she was telling him.

Tyson was happy that she hadn't immediately diverted her attention to him, as she usually did. It pleased him to see her paying more attention to Max. Tyson hadn't let anyone in on his secret - one he planned to take to his very grave if he had to.

There were several reasons why he pretended he didn't know Hilary had a crush on him.

The most important reason being the feelings his best friend held for her.

So far, as far as Tyson could tell, the only ones who had figured out about Max's secret feelings over the years had been Ray and himself. He had known since he was fifteen. Ray seemed to have figured it out only recently, judging from the brotherly and protective air he was displaying toward the blond.

Age had taught the champion many things, including how to become empathic toward other people. He had grown a lot over his adolescence.

"Morning, Tyson!"

"Mornin', Kaiya."

Tyson was surprised slightly from the affectionate greeting he received from the blond, after he closed the fridge door from pouring himself a glass of orange juice. He noticed that she was wearing a cute frog apron over her outfit, which was a pair of white jeans and an apple green blouse, with had the top few buttons undone over a white camisole, and sandals. She was currently frying some bacon and eggs, while Oliver was at the island of the kitchen, wearing his dark blue beret with a yellow t-shirt and designer blue jeans, cutting up some fruit and he looked as if he was making a picnic.

"How about some breakfast?" the guitarist offered, lifting the frying pan to slide two fried eggs and a few slices of bacon onto one of the many plates.

"That sounds awesome!" Tyson took the plate, bowing slightly. "Thank you so much, Kaiya. This smells great." He lifted a piece of bacon and took a bite, chewing it and swallowing, before his stormy eyes sparkled happily. "Oh man! You're an amazing cook! Did Sayuri teach you?"

"Mhm!" Kaiya giggled, closing her green eyes and giving a cute smile as she placed her hand to her cheek. "She's such a great _onechan_, even if we aren't related!"

Hilary glanced over at the blond, watching as she finally finished cooking, taking her seat at the far end next to Talia, who was sipping a cup of coffee with Kai sitting in-between Ray and her, doing the same. Tyson had wormed his way beside Max.

"I was meaning to ask, how long have you been stepsisters?"

"Hmm… well let's see… twelve years."

"That's a really long time." Hilary commented, before she looked thoughtful. "So, how did they meet?"

"Well, see my father is a pediatrician. Sayuri used to be one of his patients. She was really sickly as a child, since her mother had her when she was only a teenager and had a high risk pregnancy. After Sayuri reached junior high, they met again on the P.T.A. My father is very active in the community. Eventually they started dating and got married. I was six at the time and I was the flower girl, with Sayuri being the maid of honor."

"What happened to your mother and her father?"

Kaiya paused in her eating, before she gave a sad smile at the brunette's innocent question.

"My mother passed away when I was born. Like my stepmother, she had a high risk pregnancy with me. She had miscarriages before me too. She didn't recover from childbirth, as expected… it devastated my father, but he still had me. He doted on me and raised me to be kind to everyone. When he met Hiyori, she loved me as if I was her own. As for Sayuri's father, he just… up and left Hiyori after she found out she was pregnant."

"Harsh," Kai muttered.

"Douche bag." Talia snorted, before she pegged a look on the men in the room. "Don't you _ever_ do that to a poor girl."

"None of us are capable of that kind of cruelty." Ray reassured her.

Talia relaxed, giving them a smile now. "I'm glad."

"Well, I'm happy that your parents are happy and in love." Hilary said, giving the blond a gentle smile. "Did they have any children together?"

"Sadly, no. Hiyori can't have anymore children. But they're in the process of adopting a little girl from China."

"That's wonderful!"

Several commented, agreeing. Soon their plates were cleaned, with everyone cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast, trying to be as quiet as possible. Kenny and Yue were still sleeping, obviously exhausted. Once the kitchen was back in an organized and clean state - and Hilary and Kai ceased cringing slightly, for they both were perfectionists and sought organization with everything they did - the group went to head their separate ways for the day.

It was only after Tyson was dressed and on the way out with Ray, Kaiya, and Oliver that he noticed the absence of someone other than his brother and the girls' manager.

"Um, where's my 'girlfriend'?" He air-quoted the last word, peering around for Lien.

"Oh, Kevin messaged me last night on Facebook." Oliver responded at once. "She stayed the night with him."

Kaiya blinked in surprise, before she gave a slight giggle. "Shh, don't let _her_ hear that." She nodded her head in the direction of Talia, who was walking beside Kai. Max, Hilary, Kai, and she were on their way to catch the new zombie movie playing downtown at the cinema.

"Why not?" Ray lowered his tone quietly, gold eyes glancing nervously at the bassist.

There were not many women that Ray Kon feared in this world.

Talia was definitely one of the few who actually made him fear for his life…and balls.

Because a life without balls sounded oh-so-wonderful…

Not.

"Talia is worse than a mother hen whenever Lien is concerned. As far as I know, Lien has never expressed interest in boys before, so Talia's never had to worry too much… but she did threaten to give a man an unwanted sex change the last time one looked at Lien inappropriately."

Tyson cupped himself immediately.

"Then let's keep this on the down low then." Oliver quipped, smiling at Kaiya.

"For now, let's get operation make the press think Ray and Kaiya are having a date and then switch Ray with Oliver under-way!" Tyson cheered.

"It's just a picnic!" Kaiya laughed.

"A date is a date, no matter how you look at it! Now quit being technical and follow me!"

"Lead the way, oh mighty champion of the world." Kaiya teased, bowing slightly.

Oliver and Ray chuckled softly, following their friends as they left for their afternoon outings.

* * *

_Poke. Poke._

She groaned slightly in her sleep, curling on her side to wiggle away from the prodding of her rib-cage. Finally, after a few more jabs, Lien was pulled from sleep and sat up slightly, rubbing her eyes with her small fist for a moment before she froze, for one blue eye had opened and peered to where the poking had originated.

A tall, burly figure loomed over her, with eyes practically glowing.

She screamed, flailing backwards and scrambling onto the back of the couch. Her flailing hands grabbed the curtains, with the force of her body weight and her tugging yanking them and the blinds down. Bright sunlight streamed into the apartment, temporarily blinding the burly figure, who immediately shielded his eyes with his muscular arms.

Kevin came scrambling from the small hallway, hastily trying to yank his black skinny jeans on, tripping as he did and landing face-first in the carpet, his rear in the air and jeans tangled around his ankles. Groaning, the greenette, rolled onto his back and arched his back enough to pull his pants on, covering his boxers and then hastily fixing the strap of his purple tank top as he managed to get to his feet and grope his way down the hallway and into the living room.

The sight before him was comical as it was a little pathetic.

Lien was poised on the back of the couch, holding the curtain rod like a weapon, pointing it at Gary and she was tangled up slightly in the curtains themselves and blinds, wearing them like a toga. Gary was rubbing his eyes from the bright sunlight, with Kevin shielding his own eyes. They had to keep dark curtains up, since their apartment building usually had sunlight shine directly into the living room and cast a nasty glare on the television and making sight nearly impossible to have most of the mornings and afternoons.

"W-who is this?!"

Kevin stepped into the living room, cursing softly as he walked into the coffee table. He hissed and rubbed his shin, before he moved to untangle Lien from the curtains. She was still looking frightened to death as she eye-balled the burly man as if he was going to eat her for lunch.

"It's just Gary,"

She blinked again, able to now move since Kevin had managed to free her from the curtains' death grip. She slid down the couch until her back was pressed against it, curled up in the seat as Kevin started to fix the blinds and the curtains. Once the room was back to its dimly lit state, he hopped down and clicked on the lamps. Gary had managed to get his way to the kitchenette, grumbling slightly as he opened the fridge, crouching down to poke around the small white box to hunt for food.

Lien gave a heavy sigh, feeling a bit foolish for being startled and not recognizing Gary Tan at first. Granted, she had been half-asleep and due to that, she had forgotten where she was and hadn't expected to see the large man. Let alone had been scared over the fact he had been jabbing her.

"Hey, why were you even poking me?"

"Was tryin' to figure out who you were and why you were wearin' my shirt. But you're a friend of Kevin's, so it's okay." Gary replied, turning around with three slices of leftover pizza to pop in the microwave.

Lien blushed hotly, looking down as she realized she was indeed wearing one of Gary's shirts, having used it as a nightgown since she didn't have anything to change into the night before. Her eyes shifted over to wear Kevin was inspecting his shin, before he straightened and looked at her.

"Are you alright?"

She was about to reply yes, when suddenly her entire mouth went dry. Her face, which was already burning hot, seemed to burn even worse as she finally got her first good look at him. Kevin normally wore his hair pulled back into a ponytail. Currently, it was brushing his collar in light layers.

Lien had never found a man sexy before.

Seeing Kevin with his hair down and his bangs covering his eye, he looked drop dead gorgeous at the moment. He could definitely pull off the bed-head look. She almost whimpered as he went to pull his hair back, pulling the hair-tie off his wrist using his teeth.

"Scuse me," Gary said, plopping down onto the couch.

He picked up the remote and turned it on, flipping the channel to the cartoon channel. Soon, the big and burly brunette was laughing his ass off over anvils being dropped on a cat while a mouse escaped for its life.

"Hey, Gare, I'm goin' to let Lien get cleaned up and then we'll be hanging out in my room, 'kay?"

"Sure thing. I got work at the store later anyway. Oh and Lee said somethin' bout maybe droppin' by. I'll letcha know if he shows up."

Nodding, Kevin motioned with his hand for Lien to follow him. She wiggled her way off the couch, tugging on the hem of the shirt so that it went to her knees, feeling awkward and even more embarrassed - especially since she was in an apartment with two guys, wearing only a t-shirt and panties.

Bright blue eyes darted everywhere as she followed Kevin down the narrow hallway, where there were four doors. The one at the far end, closest to the living room, was Gary's bedroom. The door on the right side of the hallway was the bathroom, and the last door on the left was Kevin's bedroom while there was a small hallway closet for storage. Kevin opened the closet and withdrew a couple of towels, fumbling around for a small black toiletries bag.

"It's Mariah's. She some times comes over and steals our shower. There should be some shampoo and body wash in there, and anything else you might need." Kevin's cheeks turned pink as he scratched at the back of his head. "I'll leave you some clothes on the counter. You're a little smaller than me, but they should still fit."

"I appreciate all of this, Kevin." Lien mumbled quietly, looking at the floor.

"Nah, don't thank me. Like I said last night, we're friends!" He paused for a moment, shifting his own gaze away from her shyly. "And…um…honestly I really like spending time with you. It's always been hard for me to talk to girls. But with you, it's easy. Real easy. Anyway, I'm rambling so I'm jus' gonna let you go get cleaned up…like I said, I'll leave some clothes for ya on the counter…"

She watched as he stepped backwards, arms folded behind his back, with his eyes closed and giving a wide grin as he nervously laughed. Lien winced slightly as Kevin then stumbled backwards, his foot hitting the doorway of his room. She heard the sound of objects crashing to the floor.

"Are you alright?!"

She took one step, only for Kevin to hastily shout. "No! Don't come in here! I am fine! One-hundred…ugh…percent…nya…perfectly…FINE!" She heard another crash. "Please, just go shower!" She then heard incoherent grumbling, catching a few colorful swear words before she heard him cackle victoriously. "Take that! Victory is mine, bit - GWAH!"

Lien shook her head, giggling slightly in amusement as she went into the bathroom. She undressed, folding up Gary's t-shirt and placing it in the hamper, before slowly taking a moment to look at her reflection in the full-body mirror on the back of the bathroom door.

Fingertips brushed down her ivory skin slowly, turning and checking her body for unwanted blemishes. She puffed out her cheeks a bit as she pressed her small and ample breasts together, trying to measure them and see if they had grown any, only to sigh. She was the smallest in bust size out of the entire band. Even Yue, who was shorter than her, had larger breasts than she did.

Lien then paused in her inspection, turning her body so that she could take in the length of the long scar that went across her left hip. The scar itself was about seven inches long and three inches wide. Very slowly, her fingers traced across the pink line, remembering the faint pain from the accident that had caused it in the first place. Immediately Talia's face sprung to her mind, before Lien quickly turned away from her reflection, removing her bra and panties, carefully placing them on the sink before she stepped into the shower stall and shut the frosted-glass door.

The moment the shower was running and steam was filling the small room, Kevin slowly opened the door, peering around the edge of the door slowly. His entire body seemed to burn as he noticed her silhouette through the shower door, quickly adverting his eyes toward the sink. He jumped as he took in her blue and white striped panties and matching bra.

Even her lingerie was adorable.

_Dammit._

Kevin zipped inside and placed the folded up clothes on the counter, hastily snagging his toothbrush and toothpaste, before scurrying out of the bathroom before he was caught and then slapped.

The last thing he wanted was for Lien to think ill of him.

After all, she was the first girl he had ever really been interested in. She was so sweet and kind. He liked the way she viewed the world. It was like his, only he saw the world in splashes of neon instead of shades of grey. He was only eighteen, but he felt much wiser than someone his age should.

Perhaps he was an old soul.

Gary always said he was. His best friend was the closest thing to a brother Kevin ever had, especially after he lost his father when he was so young. Gary had been the only male influence that Kevin ever really had, other than Ray, Lee, and Tao-sensei.

"I wonder how old Lien is…" Kevin wondered, after he finished brushing his teeth before he wandered into his bedroom.

Isolation and Kevin did not go hand-in-hand after leaving White Tiger Hills and moving to the city. The moment he had been introduced to electronics, Kevin's calling emerged. His bedroom was his den, and he only went outside whenever he could get away from all the crazy city kids. Other than that, he usually chilled at home, worked his butt off at the restaurant, competed in tournaments with his team, and sometimes would go out with Mariah or Oliver.

Or ended up baby-sitting Zephyra whenever her uncle was busy and her parents were _getting busy_.

Kevin was mentally scarred enough as it was, having accidentally walked in on the married couple while they were going at it. He was surprised Zephyra didn't have ten or twelve siblings by this point. Mariah and Mystel had been married since Mariah was seventeen and Mystel was nineteen. Zephyra had just turned six.

It was pretty crazy.

Kevin walked around his semi-cluttered domain, humming to himself as he crouched down and shifted through his collection of CDs. Once he found the one he was searching for - Celestial Neon's very first album - and he flopped back onto the bottom bunk of his bunk-bed. The top was seldom used. Usually it was slept in if Kevin had to baby-sit, or one of their friends wanted to spend the night.

Kevin was actually pretty close to Ian from the Blitzkrieg Boys and Joseph from the Saint Shields, especially after Ian introduced the two isolated village boys to the joys of video games. They held weekly tournaments together playing on Xbox Live.

He pulled out the cover booklet, flipping through it. It had basic profiles of the girls, since their first album was more of an introduction album. He found Lien, wearing her band attire, which was totally adorable on the Chinese girl. He then found the profile, which had her birth date, zodiac, favorite color, favorite animal, and her shout-out to the fans.

Violet eyes widened in shock as he did the math, coming to the conclusion that Lien was two years older than him, almost three. Two years and eight months to be exact.

"Holy shit…"

"What's the matter?"

Kevin jolted, whirling and seeing Lien in the doorway. She was brushing her long black hair, it still damp from the shower, and falling all the way to her hips. His breath hitched as he took in her wearing a pair of his old skinny jeans, ones that had shrunk in the wash. They fit her perfectly, and were grey and tattered. She was wearing one of his _Linkin Park_ band t-shirts, with it fitting her frame perfectly. There was even a small hint of skin between the hem of her shirt and her jeans. Her flats completed the outfit.

_She looks hot…_

It was taking all of Kevin's restraint not to kiss her full lips.

Why did she have to be so irresistible? It was driving him mad!

_She's so out of my league… but I want her. Badly. Ugh, being a teenager sucks._

"Um, just surprised you're older than me."

"I am?" Lien blinked in surprise. "How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen."

"Oh…I thought you were older."

"I thought you were younger!"

They both laughed a bit, before Lien nervously played with a strand of her hair. "Thanks for the clothes. I was surprised that they fit so well."

"Well, I'm smaller than most guys. It's hard to find store-bought clothes that fit me. Mariah and Hilary were the ones who introduced me to skinny jeans. I can get away with them cause they're baggy on me." Kevin rubbed the back of his neck. "That pair shrunk in the wash when Lee did laundry last - he was still living here at the time. Um… they look really good on you though, Lien. You should keep 'em."

She blushed and nodded. "Thanks. I'll return your shirt as soon as we go back to my apartment later."

"You want to spend the day with me then?"

"Honestly, yes. We don't have a practice scheduled until tomorrow and I know everyone else has plans. Tyson won't miss me."

Kevin frowned a bit. "I thought you two were dating?"

"Um, no. It's just a charade for publicity. Tyson couldn't care either way, and neither could I. Relationships aren't my forte."

"I get not enjoying dating Tyson, fake or not… but why do you say that?"

Lien shuffled her feet awkwardly as she moved to sit down beside him. "I've…never dated anyone before."

Kevin stared at her, almost in disbelief.

"No way."

"Huh?"

"No freakin' way."

"No way what?"

"You're…gorgeous. The hottest girl I've ever met. How in the hell has no guy ever been with you?"

Lien blushed deeply, taken aback by the compliments and the look on his face. He looked sincerely confused by the concept that she had never had a boyfriend before.

"No one has ever asked me out?"

"That's crazy! Lien, you're… amazing! Just…perfect! They're idiots! The whole lot of 'em!"

She was stunned by his reaction, but seeing the way he was spazzing actually made her giggle. Kevin stopped, pausing and then smiling slightly at the sound of her laughter. It was melodic, as beautiful as her voice and her singing.

"Maybe I just haven't found the right guy?"

"Well, I call dibs."

Lien bit her lip. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I just said." Kevin then turned and gently poked her tummy. "Lien, would you give me the honor of taking you out on a date this weekend?"

"Um…I-I can't."

His face fell at once. "Why not?"

"I have a concert this weekend. But how about after the concert?"

"You mean it? Definitely!"

She smiled, before surprising them both by scooting a little closer. "So what do you want to do today?"

"I want to show you something. Just let me get a shirt and shoes on."

Nodding, the vocalist waited patiently as Kevin went to his closet, rifling through his variety of band tees, graphic tees, hoodies, and vests. He then pulled on hooded short-sleeved purple shirt, before locating his skate-shoes and slipping them on. He grabbed their cell phones - where he had charged Lien's for her overnight - and then indicated for her to follow him.

Instead of heading for the door, he led her toward the window, opening it and climbing out. Lien hesitated for a moment, before she followed Kevin out the window and onto the fire escape. She glanced down at the alley-way below them, separated from the street behind a chain-link fence that was locked. Kevin had just climbed down and hopped down onto the cobblestone. He looked up, waiting for her.

The moment she went to hop down, she felt his hands on her hips, steadying her and helping her down so she wouldn't fall. Once they were both steady, Kevin then took her hand, gently steering her down the alley. Lien was surprised to find that it opened up to the back part of the apartment building. Her sky blue gaze looked around, before suddenly she came to a complete stop.

Before her was an amazing mural done completely of graffiti, with a trash can of empty spray cans next to a large crate. She felt Kevin release her hand, watching as he hopped onto the crate and crossed his arms, leaning against the mural and smiling wide.

"What… is this?"

"You're looking at my art."

It was that one moment, as the shadows of the day danced across the brilliantly colored walls that Lien Tseng finally saw the neon colors taking over the shades of grey. It wasn't just bursts, like she had seen with their first embrace.

He was bringing color back to her cold and desolate world.

Her feet moved before she realized what she was doing, fingers outstretched before she touched the mural of the magnificent white tiger surrounded by the bursts of neon. Her barely parted lips trembled as she slowly pressed her palm to the chest of the tiger, closing her eyes.

It was in that moment she finally felt alive, for the first time in her life.

* * *

_A/N: I love, love, love, love writing Kev. You have no idea. :) _

_Next Chapter: "One Thing"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	7. Chapter 7 One Thing

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

_**One Thing**_

The room was barely lit, despite the sunlight beating down on the bustling city. The far bedroom at the end of the hallway had been claimed by the King of Silence. It was only fitting that he keep it under lock and key, unless he was dwelling within his domain.

Black curtains kept the hot and unbearable sunlight out of the medium-sized space. It was neat and tidy, with the carpet completely clear. His closet door was slightly ajar, showing his clothes all hung up in accordance to shade. His shoes lined the bottom of the closet. Beside it was his dresser, which had a lava lamp that was turned on. A reading lamp was clicked on at the desk that sat underneath the window, where a certain phoenix was currently typing away on his laptop.

Eyes flickered back and forth, taking in the information on the illuminated screen quickly, before moving on to the next article. He was shifting through the newspaper articles of the London Times - more appropriately, the articles from twelve years ago, when Victoria Grayson went missing without a trace.

He was steadily growing frustrated with his futile search, with all his leads turning up empty. How was it a wealthy woman just disappeared without anyone finding any evidence? There wasn't any conclusive evidence that pointed to foul play. Everything turned out as if the woman had never existed.

The only piece of evidence that made Victoria's existence was her daughter, whom she left in the care of her younger brother before she vanished, almost like that of a ghost.

Kai gave a slight growl of annoyance, before he finally closed all of his browser windows, having deemed the articles useless. He paused for a moment, for his crimson eyes scanned over the few photographs he had on his desk. The first was from where the Bladebreakers had won their very first World Championship together. The second was of their trip to New York last Christmas. The final photograph was the newest addition to the collection.

It had been absolutely crazy. Rather impulsive, actually. Kai doubted he had ever made a decision impulsively before. Yet, being around _her_, he seemed to relax a little. It was easy to lower the barriers, if only just a little bit.

All Kai knew was he couldn't be held responsible. It was all so new to him. Just when he thought he was invincible, she came crashing into his world and made him feel human. He felt vulnerable - something that irked him - and at the same time he felt powerful. No woman had ever been able to do such a thing.

Talia Grayson had started to, somehow.

It wasn't so bad.

He reached over and lifted the photograph, thumb pressing to the glass as he took in the sight of them. They were at the boardwalk, after it had closed. Kai was leaning against the railing, hands in the pockets of his jeans, expressionless. With her arm flung around his neck and grinning impishly was Talia, the camera angle catching the light in their eyes.

_Both_ of them looked genuinely happy.

"I'll find her." he promised, with only the silence to greet him.

His will his guide, Kai turned back to the laptop. He picked up his cell phone - something he seldom used, but Hiro _insisted_ he have one. Since he was a team-player now, Kai did his best to heed the coach. Hiro was wise when it came to Beyblading.

Life decisions, especially concerning Tyson and his ex-girlfriend, were not things in which the elder man was wise in.

He scrolled through the small list of contacts, which consisted of all of his teammates and his coach, a few numbers concerning the company that he was now the executive of, and a few others. His thumb stopped on the name above Talia's, before he hit the call button.

"Well, isn't this a delightful surprise…"

"Cut the pleasantries, Tala."

"Trust me, there's nothing pleasant about a phone call from you, _Boss man._"

Kai sent a glare at the wall, envisioning the Russian redhead's face. He was lucky that they had once been partners and teammates. He even gave all of the Blitzkrieg Boys jobs at his company. They were the best out there, and got the job done.

Efficiently.

"This isn't work-related," Kai stated, idly drumming his fingers against the desk. "I need you to do some digging for me."

"What's in it for me?"

"There will be an extra three grand added to your bank account in exchange for you doing this for me, Tala. This is important… and will be hard."

"Anything you throw at me will be easy."

"I need you to go to the Abbey and try and locate records on faculty members. Look for a woman named Victoria Grayson. I'll email you a photo of her. I'd do it myself, but you're in Moscow and that's local for you. I'm unable to leave Japan for awhile as well."

"…Make it four grand…"

"Done. I expect results soon, Tala."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it, _Boss man._"

Kai rolled his eyes at the dripping sarcasm in the redhead's voice before the line went dead. He returned his phone back to its idle spot, before he slowly placed the photograph back down. As silence once again claimed the slate-haired youth, Kai picked up his launcher and blade, unlocking the door and shutting it behind him.

The curtains blew, sunlight shining on their faces briefly, before the room fell to darkness once more.

* * *

The hum of the engine was really the only sound in the car. Sayuri hummed softly to herself along with the radio, glancing in the rearview briefly at her passengers in the backseat. Kenny was the only other one awake in the vehicle. He was blushing faintly to himself, glancing every so often at the slumbering blond using his shoulder as a pillow. Sayuri had to fight a grin over the cuteness that was being displayed between Yue and Kenny, before she glanced over at the passenger seat, where her stepsister was also napping. She had her open cell phone in her hands, where she had been texting Oliver during the duration of their travels.

They had left Bey City for the day, heading to Shibuya, where they were from to visit family. Sayuri was excited to see her mother and her stepfather, Kaien. It had been at least six months since they had last seen their parents, for the holidays. They had been touring ever since. Bey City was the first place they had actually settled down in for awhile over the past four years.

She was pleased at how well the ratings had risen. They had sold out completely for the concert tomorrow evening. She had managed to score tickets for all the Bladebreakers, the White Tigers, and Oliver had managed to get his own. She could tell the girls were nervous to be playing for their friends. It had been a long time since they had managed to befriend anyone sincere.

That was why Ryan suggested the charade to begin with. It killed two birds with one stone. The only problem was keeping the girls interested enough to keep going out in public with their partners. It wasn't turning out how she expected at all.

Though, when she went to see Mr. Dickenson about it, he simply smiled with a little twinkle in his eyes and told her to let things be.

"Mmm…Sayuri…?"

She glanced over briefly to see Kaiya had just stirred, stretching slightly as she yawned and checked her phone.

"We're almost there, Kaiya."

"Good. How's Yue-chan?" Kaiya glanced back at where the keyboardist was sleeping on Kenny, who was blushing but smiling. "Looks like she's happy."

"Yeah. So…um…are her parents nice?"

"Very! Yuka and Hikaru are extremely nice." Kaiya immediately reassured the young scientist. "They're going to love you, Kenny. You're the first guy she's ever wanted to bring home before!"

Kenny blushed but grinned at these words, just before Sayuri made a turn off the highway. Soon they were driving through the city streets, before Sayuri suddenly pulled the red Volvo over in front of a small house. There was a fenced in little yard with a tree that had a wooden swing hanging from it, along with a plastic play set and even a sandbox that had a toy dump lying on its side, with wheels still turning.

Yue seemed to sense that she was home, because suddenly she was wide awake and bouncing in the backseat, flinging off her seat-belt. In her haste to escape the car, she accidentally kicked Kenny in the face. She whirled and began to apologize frantically, with Kenny rubbing his cheek and trying to assure her that it was okay. Kaiya and Sayuri exchanged a look, before they glanced back at the one-story yellow house.

"Are you two going to be alright for a few hours?"

"Definitely!" Yue exclaimed, before she leaning in-between the seats, giving them both a hug before she climbed out. "C'mon, Kenny! I want you to meet my baby brother!"

Kenny smiled, still rubbing his cheek as he climbed out of the car. They waved as Sayuri pulled back onto the street, disappearing from sight as she turned left. Kenny then turned to look back at the house, then to the right to speak to his companion, only to find an outline of where she had been.

"Y-Yue! Please, wait for me!" Kenny hastily hurried after her, opening the gate and stumbling a bit.

He managed to catch up to the ball of energy as she eagerly bounced in place on the front porch, before she then pulled out her key and unlocked the door. Kenny swallowed a bit, looking around timidly before taking a deep breath. He wasn't a child and he had nothing to fear.

Just because he had a massive crush on their daughter didn't mean that Igarashi family was going to kill him.

Unless it turned out that Yue's father was a bear of a man who was very protective of his little girl…

Strike that.

Kenny was a dead man.

No! He had to do this! Yue Igarashi was quickly becoming important to the scientist! He desperately wanted to keep her in his life, and to do that he had to do whatever it took to maintain their friendship! Even if it meant facing her parents! He would beg to marry their precious daughter if he had to!

"Mama! Papa! I'm hoooooooooome!"

"Yue?!"

It was surprisingly a male voice that greeted her eagerly, with Kenny blinking as a blond man who looked too young to be a father of a seventeen-year-old emerging from the living room, carrying a four-year-old blond boy on his shoulders. Yue squealed before she huggled the man, who only seemed to be a few inches taller than his daughter. The toddler shrieked in happiness, especially as Yue lifted him up and snuggled him close.

"My adorable Hotaru! Onechan is home!"

Hotaru giggled, his arms locked around Yue's neck tightly as the siblings embraced. Hikaru Igarashi then turned his amber eyes toward the brunette young man standing stiff as a board in his doorway.

"Yuka! Come see! Seems our little girl finally brought home a husband-to-be!"

The sound of footsteps sounding heavy reached Kenny's ears. He actually trembled as a dark shadow appeared at the entrance of the kitchen. The moment the woman stepped into view, Kenny felt half his life scared off him, while the rational side of himself was surprised (yet again) by how young both Yue's parents looked.

Yuka was the opposite of her husband and children, with dyed black hair that was cut in choppy layers, and she had piercing gold eyes that seemed as if they shot directly into Kenny's soul. She was dressed from head-to-toe in black, wearing a lacy black apron that had a chibi-vampire head on the front nomming on a heart. She even had her nose pierced with a small stud.

Yuka tipped her head to the side, slowly inspecting the trembling man-child before her.

"…Good posture…" Yuka slowly walked around him, speaking in a deadpan tone of voice as she grabbed his limbs and began to measure them, inspecting him for blemishes or unsightly mutations. "Very good looking." She snagged Kenny by the front of his sweater-vest and tugged him down, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "Interesting." She then fixed the bangs before she turned to her daughter.

Then, with the most stoic expression on her face that Kenny had ever seen, he saw Yuka give Yue a thumbs up in approval.

Yue cheered happily along with her father, while Hotaru joined in simply because he found it to be a game.

Kenny sweatdropped, feeling out-of-place, and yet oddly at home among the strange family.

* * *

_Why didn't I just listen to Sayuri and put in my two-weeks notice? If I had, then I could've gone to Shibuya! Instead, I'm __**trapped**__ in this awful place._

Hilary was boring holes into the digital clock on the wall, wanting simply to be free from the small fashion boutique she worked at part-time. Now that she was apart of Celestial Neon, she didn't need to keep her job at the boutique, but Hilary had wanted to try and juggle both. She had learned the hard way that it was impossible, especially when part of an international rock band. They had to have a lot of practices, especially getting Hilary's rhythm in sync with the other girls.

Not to mention her nerves were shot over the fact that she would be performing live the next night. She had spent half of her shift gnawing on the cap of her pen, instead of on her freshly manicured nails like oh-so-desired. She had been a nail-biter since she was small, but Sayuri threatened Hilary with the gaudiest outfit if she dared mess up the thirty dollar manicure that Sayuri had paid for to have done.

She looked around the dead store, leaning against the counter and finally tossing the gnawed up pen into the trash can, before hearing the sound of her phone alerting her of a new message. The sound itself was almost like a heavenly chorus, freeing the brunette from the mind-numbing boredom that surely would have murdered her precious brain cells.

And being Hilary Tachibana, she most certainly needed her brain cells to use her wits against Tyson and his stubbornness.

"Oh thank God, someone actually does love me!" Hilary muttered, digging around her purse under the counter and retrieving her phone. She unlocked the screen and opened the message, feeling a smile spread across her lips as she saw whom it was from.

- _Hey, Hil. How goes your shift? Bored yet? :) -_

Her fingers danced across the touch screen immediately in reply.

- _Very! I was about to start kidnapping random people on the street and bribe them to buy something! I've only had maybe 3 or 4 customers since 10 and it's already almost 3. What's up with you, Max? -_

_- Was just thinking about you… I miss you. -_

Hilary gushed softly at the last three words.

- _I miss you too! Sooooo much! __ -_

_- :)You get off today at 4, right? -_

_- Yeah. Is everyone at home? -_

_- Um… let me check. -_

Hilary chuckled softly, imagining Max hopping off his bed or out of his computer chair, poking his head out of his bedroom and searching for any signs of life other than the resident cat that liked to come and go as he pleased… much like his owner. She received a reply about five minutes later.

- _Nope! I managed to locate Talia across the hall. -_

_- That's weird. Where is everybody? -_

_- Kai is probably rescuing kittens, knowing him. ;) Tyson went with Ray to the restaurant, since Ray was called in to help out. One of the cooks called in sick. Tyson was promised free food if he gave them a hand serving on customers. Hmm…as far as I know Talia said something about going for a walk. Sayuri, Kaiya, Yue, and Kenny all went to Shibuya. I found a note from Hiro. He went to go visit his grandpa and Daichi for a few days. -_

_- What about Lien and Oliver? -_

_- Oliver went with Ray. As for Lien, I have no idea. She hasn't been around the past few days… -_

_- Maybe she's hanging out with Lee! -_

_- You too? Mariah and you need to stop trying to play matchmaker! ._. -_

_- Hey now, last I knew Lien had a crush on Lee. I can't think of where else she could be sneaking off too! -_

_- Honestly, I don't think Lee's interested in her that way. He's like Ty. Just wants to Beyblade. -_

_- You're probably right… -_

_- Hey, Hil. Look at the time. -_

She did, cheering loudly just as the clock turned from 3:59 to 4:00, with the front door opening and her relief arriving. The other girl blinked, sweat dropping as Hilary flung her purse strap over her shoulder, snatched up her phone, and then hastily scribbled a note down for their boss. She slapped the note on the bulletin board with her palm, the words "I RESIGN" in bold red ink standing out as Hilary then took off out the doors.

She didn't need that job anyway. Now the other girl could get the hours she needed and Hilary was free from the horrors of retail!

Humming happily to herself, Hilary turned to walk down the street, a happy skip in her step as her denim skirt brushed against her bare thighs, her brown ankle boots padding against the concrete. She stretched, the hem of her peach button down rising and showing off her toned stomach.

It was such a beautiful day!

Her eyes brightened as her fingers danced across the screen, sending another text.

- _Maxie, are you doing anything right now? -_

_- I am currently having a staring contest with Fury. -_

Hilary started to giggle uncontrollably at the thought of Max having a stare down with Kai's cat. Shaking her head, Hilary paused to cross the street at the crosswalk, before she stopped at her favorite bookstore/café.

- _Want to get a bite to eat with me and hang out? It's a gorgeous day! -_

_- I'll be there in 10. -_

- _Do you even know where I am? -_

_- Yup! ;D -_

Hilary giggled even more, before she turned to head inside, ordering her usual peach-mango smoothie for herself and an orange and vanilla milkshake for Max. She was debating about what to get to eat when she heard the door open, glancing over her shoulder and she was immediately greeted by the sight of the blond. Max looked freshly showered, his fair locks still slightly damp and his bangs falling lightly into his blue eyes. He had pulled on white v-neck and a pair of tattered blue jeans with converse sneakers.

"What do you want to eat?" Hilary asked, not surprised that Max knew where to find her.

This _was_ their favorite place to eat out.

Max glanced at the menu, before he approached the register. "Two chicken Caesar salads, one with low-fat ranch dressing and the other with Italian."

The kitty-eared maid cashier rung up the order, with Max pulling out his bank card, swiping it and paying for the meal before Hilary could even unearth her wallet from the vortex that was her purse. The moment their tray was placed in front of him, Max picked it up, indicating for Hilary to follow him.

They took their seats at a table outside on the terrace, which had a metal fence surrounding it, and there was a beautifully sculpted fountain made from brown brick, with black stones lining the water, along with several coins from where lovers had made wishes. Max unwrapped his plastic spork from the packaging, while Hilary dug out her portable chopsticks, pulling them out of their casing.

"So you were the only one home today?"

"Yeah… honestly, was pretty lonely."

"Well, I missed you…"

Max brightened immediately. "I missed you too, sweetie."

Hilary nearly sputtered in shock to hear Max call her that endearment, but she quickly maintained her composure. Max was a sweet-hearted guy, and was extremely affectionate, especially with close friends. She heard him call most females "hun" whenever they were out in public. He was just that kind of person.

Yet, the way he used that endearment with her…

It sounded almost intimate.

"I resigned today," Hilary quickly said, quickly taking a bite of her salad, hoping that her face wasn't as red as it felt.

"I figured as much. You were getting stressed out." Max took a bite of his salad, pausing for a moment. "Needs mustard," he commented, before shrugging and then taking another bite, not bothering to try and hunt some down to put on his meal. "Tomorrow's the concert. Are you nervous?"

"Hmm… yes and no. I mean, I was definitely born to be in the spotlight. I have sang in front of hundreds of students and their families for the graduation ceremony, plus I have gotten lead roles in plays. I'm more afraid of messing up. I may have a natural gift for the drums, but honestly…I'm still a beginner, whereas the other girls aren't. They've been playing for years. I just started over a week ago."

"Yeah, but Hilary, you're amazing! You're as good as them! That's why they begged you to join the band."

"I wouldn't call it begging…"

"Hilary, you are going to be fine." Max said, confidence ringing in his warm voice. "You rock."

She grinned at him. "You know what? You're right, Maxie!"

"Besides, if you're nervous, just look over. I'm going to be backstage and cheering you on every minute."

"Thank you, Max. You always know how to calm my nerves and help me relax."

"It's a gift!" He laughed, before he took a sip of his milkshake. "Is it just me, or does this taste different?"

Her dark brow rose. "Hmm, let me see." She leaned forward, where Max turned his straw so she could take a sip.

Garnet met blue, before Max's cheeks suddenly tinged pink as he realized something.

…_Indirect kissing…_

"It does taste different. Maybe they got your order wrong. It tastes like mango instead of orange. Your milkshake is supposed to taste like a dreamscicle ice cream bar, not like my smoothie."

"May I…?" Max nodded toward her smoothie.

Hilary nodded, before he reached over and took a sip of hers. He licked his lips for a moment.

"Yeah, it's definitely mango and not orange."

"That makes me so mad! We're regulars here!"

Max laughed as she glared at the window, toward the clerk. He quickly held up his hands.

"Calm down, pretty lady. Maybe they hired somebody new? It's one mistake out of the hundreds of orders we've had here. Besides, I kind of like it. It's different, not repulsive."

Hilary's anger deflated at once.

How was it Max was able to calm her down so easily?

She was spit fired and a very emotional being, yet with Max, he was able to calm her down within a matter of seconds. No one else had ever managed to do that before. Tyson only seemed to make things worse. Kai always just ignored her, which hurt and then that hurt fueled her anger. Ray, even though he was the peacekeeper of the team, was usually at a loss for words when it came to Hilary. Kenny, though the voice was reason, was too analytical and came across as insensitive without meaning to.

Yet, Max always knew the right things to say to calm her down without hurting her, and taking her feelings and thoughts into consideration.

Wait, did he just call her pretty?

"So, still trying to get with Tyson?"

Who?

Oh. Duh.

She felt foolish. How in the world had she forgotten her own crush?

Though, lately, when she thought of Tyson, it didn't feel much like he was her crush anymore…

Now, when she thought of him, it was the same way she thought of Kenny or Ray. Just a friend, someone she was close to, someone she supported and cared about dearly. He was…

Just like family.

"Honestly… not really."

Max had just taken a bite of his salad, a piece of chicken hanging from his mouth as he stared at her slowly and in surprise. He looked as if she was a ticking time-bomb, or had just proclaimed that she was the Queen of Jupiter.

Hilary gave a sheepish smile. "Surprise?"

Max finally managed to swallow his chicken. "You…honestly are giving up on it?" He tried so desperately to keep the hope out of his voice.

"I am. I'm happier just being friends. Besides, I doubt he even noticed that I liked him."

"Yeah… hehe…" Max looked down at his lap, his heart thumping wildly.

"Besides, there are plenty of fish in the sea, right? It's not like I'm never going to find my chance at love. I just have to wait patiently. I'll find him, someday. My dream may seem like a fairytale, but I'm not going to let go of it."

"I'm proud of you, Hilary."

_This means, I have a chance… I can prove to her that I'm the one for her. Maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that she'll fall in love with me too. _

"You're not the only one with fairytale dreams, Hilary." Max said, softly.

Her beautiful garnet orbs glanced up at him from under her lashes, before her sweet smile crossed her face, lighting up her already pretty features.

"I know, Max. Together, I'm sure we can find a way to make them come true."

He would make sure of that.

* * *

_A/N: I swear, I have never felt like my writing with Hilary has been at my best until I started writing this story. I feel as if I have really captured her, especially when it comes with Max. Alright, please drop me a review and let me know your thoughts on this chapter!_

_Next Chapter: "Born for This"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	8. Chapter 8 Born for This

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me. I also do not own any other characters that have brief cameos. _

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Born for This**_

"Alright, give it up for _Houkago Tea Time, _playing their hit number _NO, Thank You!_"

Sayuri walked off the stage, looking prim and professional in her black pin-stripe dress skirt, tucked in red blouse, and matching pin-stripe blazer with heels. A red flashing emitted from her headset, before she pressed one of the buttons and heard Talia's voice speaking in her ear.

"Seems as if they're liking our opening act."

"Indeed. We're lucky to have gotten them to take the gig. They're well known, especially for being such a young and lively band." Sayuri turned on her heel, brown curls cascading down her back in her ponytail. "How is Hilary doing?"

"She's not the one I'm worried about. She's pumped and rearing to go. It's your sister I'm worried about."

"Kaiya?" That surprised Sayuri, who had never known Kaiya to be nervous, especially about performing. She was an incredibly open and outgoing person. "What seems to be the issue?"

"Hell if I know. You might want to get back here though, before hell breaks loose. Yue found the energy drinks."

"I'll be there in five."

Sayuri pressed the button again, disconnecting the headset before she hurried backstage, walking passed technicians, who were controlling the lighting and soundboards. She passed Max and Oliver, who were helping out, both having experience. Max gave a slight wave, before Sayuri returned it, turning down a hallway and finally locating the door to the dressing room.

She opened it, stopping and sweatdropping upon the sight that greeted her. Talia was stumbling about, trying to get Yue off her back, from where the youngest had decided to tackle the Brit in an ultra-tight and overly affectionate huggle. Lien was the one helping Hilary getting ready in her brand new band attire - Celestial Neon was known for the girls wearing the same outfits for their performances. Kaiya was sitting in her chair, looking pale and scared.

"Get this bloody twit off me!"

"I'm not a twit! I luuuuuuuuuurve you, Tally!"

"Yue, get offa me _now_!"

Talia managed to karate flip Yue over her shoulder, with the blond flying in the air and then landing upside-down on the couch. She flipped and landed on her feet, before she twirled. Her electric-colored orbs widened, sparkling before she sprung to embrace their manager, but Sayuri quickly evaded her. She then placed her fingers in her mouth, releasing a shrill whistle that ceased all the chaos immediately.

Rubbing her temples, Sayuri questioned the possibility of motherhood in her future, before she then turned to take in the girls. She could easily picture their younger selves. Back then, things were a lot worse. This was _mellow_ in comparison to the days when they first started out. Back then, they had only been young teens.

"Girls, you need to chill. You have about fifteen minutes till you go on, and we need you all focused. This is our first concert here in Japan after two years. We're lucky _Houkago Tea Time _are even opening up for us. Now they're going to be playing _Listen! _and _Don't Say Lazy_ before we go on. Finish getting dressed, go use the bathroom, whatever you need."

Sayuri watched as the girls immediately chilled out, feeling pride as they went to their different areas of the room, finishing getting dressed. Her eyes turned to Lien first, who was already dressed in her band attire, which consisted of a neon blue off-the-shoulder fishnet top that stopped at her midriff worn over a white thin-strap top that showed her navel, her favorite pair of black form-fitting cotton leggings and her neon blue converse sneakers. She was still wearing her crescent moon pendant, and she had tied her twin tails with two white ribbons. She had just finished tying the ribbons in her hair, before moving to apply some eye-liner and some blush to her cheekbones.

Yue, who was already dressed and ready to perform, was wearing her neon orange headphones, pumping herself by listening to her favorite song, _Pocket Full of Sunshine_, humming it as she rocked on the balls of her feet. She was wearing her extra baggy bright yellow shirt that hung off one shoulder with a black leather belt tied around her waist and the hem going to mid-thigh, with a pair of black leggings that stopped below her knees and yellow flats. She had taken out her pigtails, wearing a black headband with a large yellow bow that was glittery on the right side of her head.

Talia had just finished trading her skinny jeans for her denim skirt, where the right side was black and the left was purple. She pulled on her purple denim jacket, which had the sleeves ripped off, over her white tank top and then began tying the purple laces of her leather black knee-high boots. Her violet eyes then glanced over at the other guitarist, who hadn't moved from her spot.

Kaiya was wearing a sleeveless white button down with a neon green necktie, a layered black skirt that fell to her knees, and green ballet flats with ribbons that wrapped around her calves to her knees. Sayuri had gone over to her and was rubbing her back, trying to coax her and figure out what was wrong. Seeing that their manager was doing what she could, Talia turned her attention to their newest member.

Hilary was inspecting her outfit in the full body mirror. It had been two weeks of debates between all the members what her outfit would be. They had finally decided to go with a punk look, much like Talia's, to even out the girls. They were an alternative rock band and covered several genres with their music.

Her slender frame was extremely noticeable in the black skinny jeans she wore, with them tattered and ripped all up the legs. She was wearing a tight neon orange tank top, with the hem stopping just above her navel, which they were surprised to discover was pierced. She wore a black denim jacket, which stopped at mid-back, and had the sleeves that stopped at her elbows. Black bike gloves covered her hands, which were currently adjusting the orange skull bow she had clipped in her hair. Her make-up was subtle, and glitter dusted her body, shimmering in the lights.

Orange was a great color on the brunette and truly fitting, especially for a young woman born on Halloween.

Sayuri straightened, pressing the button on her headset. "Understood." She then turned to the girls, grey-blue eyes locking on all of them. "Alright, it's time to perform."

"My first concert…" Hilary took a deep breath, before she turned to look at all of them. "I want to thank you girls once again for asking me to be apart of the band… this is a dream come true."

Yue hugged her, giggling. "Hilary, we love the fact that you're here! We love you. You're part of our sisterhood now!"

Talia closed her eyes, giving a small smile as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Hate to admit it, but I agree with Sunshine. You were the missing piece, Hilary. We're glad to have you as apart of the band."

Touched by the punk-girl's words, Hilary met Lien's gaze, who gave her an encouraging nod. Kaiya finally stood up, taking a shaky breath as nerves twisted her stomach. Sayuri held out her arms, before they all stepped together in a group hug.

"Who are we?"

"Celestial Neon!"

"Then let's go rock them out of this world!"

* * *

"Front row seats. It pays being the boyfriends, huh?" Tyson teased, glancing at his fellow Bladebreakers.

"Definitely." Ray commented, while Kai gave a slight nod.

The crowd was going wild as Houkago Tea Time stepped off stage, leaving on the opposite side just as Celestial Neon stepped on, with the lights dimmed. The crowd fell to a dull roar, with eager eyes watching as neon colored spotlights turned on, one-by-one. Sayuri's voice was echoing through the concert hall, with the crowd shrieking as each member was introduced. When Hilary was introduced as the newest member, the Bladebreakers, White Tigers, and Salima all screamed at the top of their lungs to cheer for her - even Kai, who pumped his fist in the air.

Hilary was taken aback, but seeing them supporting her like she had done with them for so many years really touched her.

"This is so cool!" Mariah squealed to Salima, who nodded in agreement as they looked up at their best friend.

Zephyra was sitting on top of her uncle's shoulders, so she could see, and her little eyes were wide. She had never been more happy before in her life, feeling as if it was her birthday and Christmas rolled into one.

"Daddy, it's really them! I'm really gonna get to see my favorite band playing!" Zephyra shrieked.

Mystel chuckled from beside Lee, reaching up to squeeze her small tan hand. "That's right, baby. Now let's cheer for your Auntie Hilary!"

"Go Auntie!" Zephyra shrieked, squealing.

Lee chuckled, pumping his fist in the air just as they started to play their first song. He used to think their music was noise, especially since he had heard it being blasted through his niece's bedroom walls at ungodly hours on the weekends, but now that he was actually listening to them live and in person, he realized they were actually really good.

"Man, this is awesome!" Lee exclaimed, nudging Kevin.

He didn't get a response from the monkey boy, blinking in surprise as he glanced to his right. Kevin was standing completely transfixed from beside him, staring up at where Lien was singing into her microphone. She was walking along the stage as she sang, with Talia and Kaiya singing back-up vocals into their own microphone stands. Yue was on a lift behind Kaiya and Hilary was on one behind Talia, the two of them losing themselves to the music. Hilary was rocking out, completely in sync with the other four, looking as if she was having the time of her life up there on stage.

When Lien reached her hand out, touching hands with the crowd, Kevin came to life. The moment their hands touched, Lien lingered for a moment, just allowing their hands to squeeze as she sang the lyrics with all of her heart. Her soprano voice was the most beautiful he had ever heard, and Kevin actually felt a sense of loss the moment Lien's hand left his, before she turned back to the stage. She was moving everywhere, singing with so much feeling that every person in the concert hall could feel the emotions she was.

That was why Celestial Neon was so popular.

The message they sent was warm and touched people's hearts. They made them feel powerful, like they could take on the world. The music and rhythm made them want to move their feet and turn the world into their dance floor.

Tyson, Ray, and Kai had never heard the girls playing before, even with them 'dating' the band. They were equally impressed to find they liked the girls' style of music. Tyson was jumping was up and down, pumping his fist in the air and cheering, especially when the song came to a drum solo for Hilary. Kai was bobbing his head in time with beat, but his eyes were solely on the bassist, who was shredding her guitar and completely zoned into the music. Ray had been pulled into a dance with Salima, who had been pushed into his arms by Mariah, with the pinkette giving a wink before she snagged her husband.

It wasn't a surprise that they were dancing wildly and in time with each other. Mariah and Mystel did go out clubbing a lot. Even Lee and Gary were getting into the music, with Gary taking Zephyra and placing her on his shoulder so she could see her favorite band better. Lee was laughing, actually enjoying himself.

"It's about time!" Tyson shouted, just as Max and Oliver joined them.

"We had to help out back there, but they got it!" Oliver shouted in response, before he crossed his arms with a grin. "They're amazing, no?"

"Totally!" Mariah shrieked, before she screamed. "GO HILARY!"

Max laughed, before he glanced up at the stage. He still couldn't get over how sexy Hilary looked. He had never seen her dressed like this, and he was surprised how well the style suited her. She looked completely comfortable jamming up there like a rock star.

No, she _was _a rock star.

And he was completely head over heels in love with her.

"Isn't it weird how hot Hil looks?"

Max actually felt a surge of anger and jealousy as Tyson voiced those words. He was about to pin his best friend with a look of disgust, but Ray beat him to it. His pupils narrowed, his gold eyes taking on their feline appearance as they did whenever Ray was determined or angry.

"Tyson, you had your chance. Do _not_ even go there." Ray snarled, looking ready to pull out Driger.

Tyson held up his hands quickly. "I said it was weird! It's not like I enjoy being attracted to her! She's like my sister!"

"…Good boy."

They snorted and doubled over in laughter as Kai patted Tyson on the head as if he was a dog. Tyson growled, whirling and looking ready to punch Kai, who had simply turned and was focusing on the band. Hilary giggled, noticing.

"Yue looks so beautiful…" Kenny sighed, giggling giddily.

"Better not let Ming-Ming hear you say that." Tyson teased, losing interest in murdering Kai in his head.

"No way! Yuka would maim me!"

"Oh yeah, you're like borderline engaged to Yue now!"

"Not complaining!" Kenny quipped, though he did fear for his life.

Yuka and Hikaru had determined that Yue and Kenny would be married. He dared not think of his minor crush on the diva. If he even gave a slight hint that he was attracted to anyone else, then Yue's mother would summon demons to eat his insides.

Or worse, destroy his computer.

Kenny without his computer would be the equivalence to Armageddon.

Oliver shook his head, amazed by the closeness between the team. It had been several years, and the close bonds had been established between his team as well, but they were no where close to the Bladebreakers or even Celestial Neon.

What was missing…?

The artist looked ahead, eyes taking in the people around him and before him. Everyone seemed to be having the time of their life, completely lost to the music.

Except for one.

She was putting up a good front, but something was bothering her. He watched as she played, but not with her whole heart as she normally did. Oliver found that it worried him immensely.

He had never really felt this close to another person before.

Kaiya Sagara was truly amazing. The moment they met, they became friends almost immediately. It was just the way she viewed the world, just the way she was so warm and kind. It was hard to find that genuine kindness and compassion in the world anymore.

She was as bright as a star, drawing people in and making them see the parts of themselves they were afraid to view, in fear of others and their insecurities dragging them down. Instead, Kaiya was able to make them feel as amazing as they truly were.

He was starting to admire her.

He already adored her.

_Could this be… love_?

Oliver smiled, feeling his heart steadily racing in his chest as he looked up at her. Her white blond hair had taken on a green sheen due to the light on her, and he watched as she played. She moved her feet as her eyes gazed toward her bandmates, with so much love and devotion it made Oliver's heart swell.

He never wanted to see tears in those emerald eyes.

If he did, they would surely break his heart.

_I know, I'll take her away for the night. Just her and me. I'll give her a chance to breathe. She's always so cool and collected. Maybe she just needs some time for herself._

Smiling, Oliver then disappeared from the crowd, finding his way backstage just as the last song for the night was starting. He showed the security guard his pass, with the beefy and scary-looking man stepping to the side and allowing the European in. He thanked him before he made his way to where Sayuri was watching the concert, with arms crossed. There was pride in her eyes.

"Oh, Oliver! I almost didn't notice you!" the woman pressed a hand to her heart, after jumping a bit. "I thought you went with Maxie to join the others?"

"I did, but I wanted to speak to you before the concert ended and you were busy with the girls."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Would you object to Kaiya spending the night with me at the hotel?"

Sayuri hesitated for a moment. "Depends… what are your intentions?"

"Just take a moment to take her in… she's not at her best right now. I believe she just needs a little getaway. I promise you, I have no ill intent."

"I trust you, Oliver. So long as you don't get caught. If the press finds out, then there could be a huge scandal that will tarnish Kaiya's reputation…she is dating Ray."

"I'm aware. We will be careful."

"Thank you. I'll make sure to get her emergency disguise ready then."

"I appreciate this, Sayuri."

He turned to walk away, when Sayuri spoke once more, stopping him.

"You really care about her, don't you?"

"More than even I seem to comprehend."

"I'm glad it's you then, Oliver."

Oliver blushed slightly, before he nodded, taking this as a sign of approval. As the Majestic turned and left once again, Sayuri turned her attention back to her girls just as the song ended and the concert came to a close. As she took in the sound of the cheering fans, and the genuine happiness and thrill still on their faces, she realized something.

_They're happy. For the first time in four years, they're each happy…_

She suspected something. It gave her a mixture of emotion, dread and joy pulsating through her.

_Is it because they're falling in love?_

"Please…please let my girls be spared the pain I've suffered through…"

Sayuri could feel the guilt eating at her, flinching slightly with every memory of Hiro. She shook her head, heart pounding as the bittersweet truth hit her.

She still loved him.

Madly, passionately, and foolishly loved him, despite everything that had happened between them. Even now, with Sayuri avoiding him. What they had done had been a selfish mistake, and now she was dealing with the consequences.

Love had scorned her, burned her, and made her distrusting.

She only prayed that the girls before her, the very girls she loved with her entire heart and soul, would not suffer the same way. Sayuri couldn't bare the thought of them being hurt that way. They were still young and had their whole lives ahead of them.

They didn't need to make her mistakes.

"I love you…all of you…"

Wiping the tears burning her eyes, Sayuri then took a deep breath, finding the composure she needed to guide them.

They were her girls after all.

* * *

_A/N: I had so much fun writing this chapter because I got to jump from so many different perspectives and focus on the music of Celestial Neon! :D_

_Next Chapter: "Understanding"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	9. Chapter 9 Understanding

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

_Okay, we're far enough in the story where I can finally start putting this…_

_Contains: Max/Hilary, Ray/Salima, Kevin/OC, Kai/OC, Kenny/OC, Hiro/OC, Oliver/OC, Mariah/Mystel, and hints of other couples, if you squint. _

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Understanding**_

Stars shimmered brightly in the dark sky, with only a few minutes to midnight. The dark sedan pulled over in front of the hotel, with it glowing like a beacon with its golden lights. The driver climbed out, opening the door for the passengers in the back. A young man of roughly five-eight climbed out, holding the hand of the shorter woman, her bubblegum pink hair sparkling with glitter as they walked inside of the hotel, hand-in-hand. The man brushed his own bright blue hair out of his eyes, before moving to check in. The night clerk glanced curiously at them, but said nothing as they turned to head for the elevator, it taking them all the way to the penthouse suite.

The moment they were inside of the vast and magnificently decorated suite and the door was locked, the man moved quickly, shutting all the curtains and making sure there wasn't any way anyone could peer into the room. Once he was for sure that all the precautionary measures had been taken, he reached up and tugged on his bright blue tresses, the wig pulling off immediately.

Oliver turned to face his companion with a sly grin on his face. "That was quite fun! We should wear disguises more often."

Giggling, her small hands reached up and removed the pink wig, freeing her long white-colored tresses from their bun. Oliver moved to pull his own shoulder-length hair free from its small ponytail, before he moved toward the kitchenette of the suite. Kaiya placed her overnight bag down on the arm of the armchair, taking a moment to look around with her emerald eyes.

She couldn't believe that Sayuri had agreed to this. If their parents found out, they'd both be in trouble. Kaiya had always been the responsible one. She didn't blame her parents for being overprotective of her, especially after the craziness that Sayuri gotten herself into in her youth.

"I'm a bit hungry, what about you? Would you like for me to make us something to eat?"

She glanced over at the aristocrat, giving a warm smile as Oliver opened the fridge. "That sounds absolutely wonderful, Oliver."

Grinning at her, the greenette then got to work making a couple of omelets for them, while Kaiya went to go and change from her street clothes and into some more comfortable ones. As she washed her face, Kaiya took the moment to just breathe in, trying to compose herself.

It had been growing harder. It had been almost three weeks since they moved to Bey City and started the charade of being with the Bladebreakers. No matter how much fun she had spending time with Ray, Kaiya couldn't keep up the appearances any longer.

She couldn't pretend that strangers were long-awaited friends.

It wasn't in her heart to lie. Kaiya found dishonesty to be cowardly. Her morals were being ignored and it was starting to make her feel sick to her stomach. She didn't even feel up to performing tonight. The only reason she even went on stage was because the others needed her. She would do anything in the world for Sayuri, Lien, Talia, Yue, and Hilary. They were her friends, her bandmates, and her sisters.

They were her entire world.

Slowly, but surely, the Bladebreakers were beginning to cross over into that world as well.

Including…

"The omelets are done, Kaiya."

She finished drying her face, taking the towel and folding it carefully before placing it down on the sink. She turned slightly, before suddenly the world was spinning all around her, a wave of nausea hitting her. Kaiya's hands immediately pressed against the porcelain, staring at the sink as she tried to keep herself from falling. Oliver crossed the space between them within seconds, hands immediately gripping her shoulder and waist.

"What's wrong, Kaiya? Are you ill…?"

"I…I can't take this anymore…"

Oliver closed his eyes for a moment. _Just as I thought… _He opened them once more, this time the blue-violet shade sharper. "Kaiya, if this is making you ill… forgive me for interjecting my opinion, but I don't find it wise to continue up this charade. You are too honest of a person to keep living a lie and acting. You deserve to live your life honestly, not sneaking around like a criminal and hiding how you truly feel. I know you are sacrificing for your stepsister, but in the end… this is childish and wrong."

"I know… you're completely right, Oli. I just…I don't even know how to talk to Sayuri about this… the other girls seem okay with this. It's helping us. It's supporting our families and securing futures for us. Whatever Ryan asks of us, we do without thinking. We owe so much to him…"

"I understand feeling as if you owe a debt to this man, but you are making yourself ill…and it's tearing me apart." Oliver whispered softly.

Kaiya unfortunately didn't hear the last part, having hunched over and given into the nausea. He winced slightly, but stood his ground, not leaving her side unlike others who surely would have. Oliver simply kept a straight-face as his hand rubbed her back, his other holding her hair back for her as she vomited. A green sheen had taken to her apricot face as Kaiya looked up at him, misery in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry…this is embarrassing… you invited me out and I'm ruining it…"

"That is not it at all. Kaiya, you needed a getaway. This is time for you. You are not ruining anything. I am simply happy that I can help you in some way."

Kaiya nodded, brushing her teeth and rinsing her mouth to get the taste of bile out. Oliver helped her out of the bathroom, his arm around her waist. The moment she was sitting on the edge of the bed, Oliver then went and retrieved the plate with the omelets, taking a small piece and placing it on the end of the fork, holding it up to her lips. They parted before she took a small bite.

"It tastes good…" Kaiya said softly, glancing at him from under her lashes.

Emerald met amethyst.

Oliver moved before he even realized what he had done - as if there was a gravitational pull between them. His hands cupped her face, his eyes closed as he pressed his lips chastely to her own. There was a slight hesitance, one entirely of surprise, before her lips brushed against his in return.

It was a simple kiss, one full of comfort and kindness.

"Thank you…" she breathed, the moment Oliver pulled away.

He had expected anger, looking surprised as he looked down at her.

"What for…?"

She simply pulled him close to her, arms wrapping around his waist as she rested her cheek over his heart, listening to the soothing cadence of its beating.

"Being here."

Oliver held her tightly, before pressing his lips to her forehead softly. "Let's get some sleep."

It should've been awkward, even a little embarrassing, to be crawling into bed as if they were a married couple, but for some reason, neither found that to be the case. Naturally, they cuddled close together, listening to each other breathe until finally their eyes closed and sleep found them.

* * *

"Dammit, Isaac, stop being so squishy! Death to all freakin' spiders… there needs to be an item called _Vacuum Cleaner _so I can suck them up instead of being killed by these damn things."

Kevin growled in annoyance, having just died for the fifth time by spiders in _The Binding of Isaac_. His tired eyes glanced toward the digital clock on his dresser, with the green digital numbers reading 3:30. It was the middle of the night, and even after going to the concert and completely exhausted, sleep was next to impossible for the youngest White Tiger.

So he did what he usually did every weekend.

He got on his computer - which had been customized to his preference - and got online with his close friends Ian and Joseph.

"Seriously? You keep dying? Well, this is where I am superior to you. While you play that zetta slow character and keep dying like a newb, I'm kicking ass with Cain." Ian said, his voice emitting through the headset that Kevin wore.

He rolled his eyes, before running a hand through his hair, turning his attention to the window open next to _The Binding of Isaac_, where he saw two windows showing his friends. Ian was rubbing his nose with the top of his hand in a smug matter, while Joseph was rolling his eyes as well. Ian was definitely the most arrogant when it came to their gaming, but if it wasn't for him, then they would have never really discovered the vast and wondrous world of technology.

"How in the world are you still awake, Kev?" Joseph then asked, before he swore under his breath as he turned to yell at the wall. "Sis! If you're going to whine about Max, go talk to Mathilda _outside_, where I don't have to hear it!"

"Is she _still_ going on about the whole Max and Talia thing?" Kevin groaned.

"Yes. And she is annoying the hell out of me with it. If she freakin' liked the guy, why didn't she just go out with him instead of taking her time?" Joseph shook his head, before his jade eyes than went back to Kevin, who stifled a yawn. "Dude, you need to sleep. It's like passed 3:30 your end."

"Just go ahead and send your sunlight back to this side of the world then, Joey." Kevin replied, glaring a little enviously at the sunlight in the background. Joseph was twelve hours behind him all the way in Brazil. "I told you guys, my insomnia is acting up. I'm extremely nervous about my date tomorrow."

Ian picked at his ear for a moment. "I still don't believe this chick of yours exists."

"Screw you," Kevin snapped. "She does too, and she's freakin' gorgeous and amazing and perfect."

"Fine, if she's not imaginary, then tomorrow when she comes over, let us meet her." Ian said, grinning impishly.

Kevin cringed slightly, before he hung his head. "Fiiiiiiine."

They paused as they heard the sound of knocking on the door. Ian got up, crossing the room after removing his headset. He opened the door to find Tala on the other side, with the redhead looking livid. Ian actually took a slight step back in fear.

"What did I do now?" Ian asked, before Tala could even open his mouth.

"What the hell did your creepy friend say to Mariam?"

Joseph paled, realizing a split second later that his sister had not been on the phone with her best friend, as he had assumed.

"Why don't you ask her?" Ian held up his hands, about to cover his nose in fear of it being attacked.

"She's too upset. Look, tell your little creepy friend to watch what he says to my woman, otherwise there will be hell to pay."

Ian saluted his captain, watching as Tala shut the door. He had just started to mutter a string of colorful swear words in Russian under his breath when the door opened again, causing Ian to jump.

"And make sure to keep it down! It's almost freakin' eleven o'clock and we have work to do tomorrow."

The door slammed again, with Ian marching his rear back to his computer chair and plopping down. Joseph was still pale, muttering under his breath in fear as he came to the horrible realization that his elder sister had entered a relationship with the one and only Tala Ivanov.

The only belief they had in common was that destruction was beautiful, meaning…

"We're all going to die."

"Joseph, breathe."

"Guys, I'm going to get the devil himself as a brother-in-law! It's bad enough my sister is determined to ensure I remain virginal for the rest of my natural born life! Why? Why me? WHY, MARIAM, WHY?!"

Kevin hung his head. "Guys, I hate to leave you to the horrors of your teammates hooking up, but it's almost 4 in the morning and I do have to get up early to clean the apartment, find a way to bribe Gary to leave, and make sure that I don't mess up my first date."

"Best of luck to you, Kev." Joseph said, giving him a wink.

Ian's red eyes narrowed on him. "Just make sure you prove that she does in fact exist, Kevin."

"Your faith in me is sooo impressive, Papov."

"Cheng, I know how to hack your computer. Do not test me."

With that said, Kevin quickly bade his friends goodnight, shutting down his computer and flopping onto his bed. He pulled his second pillow closer, blushing faintly to himself as he took in the faint scent of Lien, reminding him of lotus blossoms. He snuggled it closer, wishing the pillow was her, before his tired eyes finally closed and sleep found its way to him.

* * *

The sound of giggles could be heard all through the apartment as Sayuri opened the door, trying to locate her charges. The only one she had found had been Lien, who was on her way out for the day. The brunette walked forward, turning the corner and finding Tyson, Max, Kenny, and Yue all sitting on the living room couch. Yue was giggling so hard that her face was red, turning to hide it into Kenny's shoulder.

Tyson was doing commentary as Max played a game on the laptop currently in his lap, with the pair laughing nearly as hard as Yue. Kenny was trying his best to keep from snorting, recording their game play so they could most likely upload it online. Curiously, Sayuri walked behind the couch, leaning over the back over it so she could see the screen.

The only thing she saw was a goat in a demonic circle with a giant ball of humans.

"What the hell?! What the hell are you playing?"

Tyson simply came back with, "I AM NOW LORD OF ALL DEMON GOATS! MWHAHAH!"

"It's a new game called _Goat Simulator,_" Kenny explained, glancing up at the woman, who had an appalled look on her face.

Sayuri simply shook her head. "You kids… are weird."

"Not as weird as you," Tyson stuck his tongue out before he startled cackling madly just as Max used the demon goat to blow up a gas station. "Oh man! That was awesome. Holy shit! Is that a robot?"

"I have no idea… let's go find out!" Max piped up, grinning just as widely as his best friend.

Shaking her head from the disturbing game, Sayuri turned to head into the kitchen. She was happy to see Oliver and Kaiya inside, along with Talia. Oliver and Kaiya were cleaning up from lunch while Talia was rummaging through the fridge, sorting through the different flavored sports' drinks that was stocked in the door.

"Where's the King of Silence?" Sayuri joked, glancing at the bassist.

"Kai and Hilary went shopping." Talia responded. "I'm going to go for a walk. Summer's almost over after all, so I'm trying to enjoy as much as the weather as possible." Violet eyes locked on grey-blue a second later. "So, how come you had your door locked this morning? I could've sworn I heard voices…"

Sayuri quickly broke eye contact. "Oh, just had a talk with your uncle on the phone. You know how the time difference gets in the way."

Guilt shot through her, trying hard not to think of the man whose arms she spent most of the early dawn with. She quickly mused up her hair, rich chocolate locks concealing the red mark on the side of her neck from view.

"Yeah…so very true…"

Her eyes flickering in distrust, Talia then grabbed the grape flavored drink and straightened, closing the door. She glanced toward Kaiya, who was suddenly looking dizzy and gripping the counter. Oliver immediately steadied her. Worried, Talia walked over to the blond.

"You alright…?"

"Fine…" Kaiya managed, before closing her eyes and giving a smile. "Just not feeling well."

"Look, if this keeps up, let me know. I'll take you to the clinic."

"I appreciate the offer, Talia."

Nodding, the dark girl then turned and left the kitchen.

"Talia seems to be spending a lot of time on her own walking around town lately." Sayuri commented to herself, before she turned to the blond. "Are you going to be alright…?"

"I'm fine. I just need to lay down. I may have a stomach bug or something. Please, don't worry about me, _onechan_."

"I'll keep an eye on her, _mademoiselle_." Oliver offered, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"I appreciate it. I hate to leave you like this, but I have another meeting with Mr. Dickenson that I have to attend. Call me if you need anything."

"Will do!" Oliver said cheerfully.

Sayuri left the kitchen as well, before the greenette pulled Kaiya into a tight hug.

"Just tell her…"

"I-I can't…"

Sighing, Oliver slowly ran his hands up and down Kaiya's back, just holding her as close to him as he could. His own feelings would have to wait when it came to this matter. The only thing he could do was comfort her and stay by her side.

"It will be alright, _mon cherie._"

She blushed at being called "my darling" before smiling gently up at him, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"_Arigato_…"

* * *

"I'm sorry we can't go out somewhere for our first date, Salima…"

"I don't mind, Ray, really. This will be just as nice." Salima replied, before they opened the front gate, stepping inside of the yard.

Ray nodded, walking close behind the redhead, before his eyes took in the familiar two-story house.

Salima lived here with her grandmother, whom she was looking after while attending college and working part-time at the local bookstore, while competing as a solo Beyblader. After she had spent several years traveling the world teaching children how to Beyblade with Goki, Jim, and Kane, Salima had eventually came back to Bey City and moved in with her elderly grandmother, whose health wasn't the best as it was. She was extremely scatterbrained anymore.

As in, finding a pair of house slippers in the produce drawer of the refrigerator was considered normal.

They stepped inside the house, with Ray being greeted by the sight of hundreds of glowing eyes locking on him from all directions. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, with him feeling a slight territorial tremor go down his spine as he looked around.

There were so many cats. Everywhere he looked, there were cats, real and fake. The décor was cats, including the clocks and the portraits on the mauve colored walls. The tables were decorated with lace. There was even an old time telephone and a pad with kitten print on it to take down messages.

"Salima? Is that you, sweetheart?"

"Yes, Nana." Salima called up the staircase.

A woman shuffled into view, her smoky grey eyes glancing around and peering before finally landing on her granddaughter. The woman's hair was grey, worn in a long plait and she had bangs similar to her granddaughters'. She was wearing a robe that had cartoon cats on it along with little fishies and yarn balls. She stepped down the stairs until she was on the landing, hands gripping the railing.

"Oh my! You brought over a friend, dearie? And it's not Hilary?"

"No, Nana." Salima giggled a bit. "This is Ray… Ray, this is my Nana Sylvia."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Ray gave a polite bow to the elderly woman, who shuffled down the remaining steps so she could get a better look at him. "I like your house. It's very cozy."

"Oh my! He's Chinese. This is a surprise. And… your eyes! They remind me of Mr. Tubbles." A fat grey cat with gold eyes yowled, leaping into her arms just then. "Oh, there you are, Mr. Tubbles!"

Salima chuckled a bit nervously. "Yes, Nana. I told you about White Tiger Hills. That's where Ray and the his old team are from."

"Oh yes! The land of the kitty people!"

"Neko-jins," Ray corrected, shaking his head a bit.

Nana Sylvia simply reached up and patted him on the head. "I like him a lot, my dear Salima. So let's do us a favor and keep him!"

"I plan on it, Nana." Salima giggled, before she glanced toward Ray, to make sure he wasn't _too_ freaked out by the cat-lady's affections. He seemed okay with it for the most part. "Ray and I were just going to watch some movies."

"Oh, I understand! I'll just leave you two be then." Nana Sylvia squeezed the fat cat in her arms, turning to climb the steps. "Just let me know if you're going anywhere. We need to get more food for the babies."

"I understand. I'll make sure to pick some up later." Salima said. "Just call for me if you need anything, Nana."

"I'll be fine! Shoo, shoo! Go watch your videos!" She paused, "Before I go, Ray, it was very nice to meet you. My granddaughter talks about you a lot. She's quite taken with you."

"Trust me, ma'am, I'm very attached to Salima too."

Blushing, Salima tightened her ponytail.

"Oh, call me Nana!"

Ray chuckled again. "Alright. Thank you very much for your hospitality, Nana."

With that said, the elderly woman than returned back upstairs, with a few of the cats following her. Ray blinked, feeling purring and nuzzling against the leg of his black jeans, before he knelt down and picked up the orange tabby kitten, who had eerie blue eyes.

"That's the newest addition to the family. Honestly, I'm trying to find him a good home. We have so many mouths to feed. Nana takes in all the strays."

"I take it this is where Kai got Fury."

"I begged him to take Fury."

"I don't blame you. How many are there?"

"I lost count after twenty-five."

"Dear gods…"

"They're not that bad. They're all outside most of the time. They have a little kitty-door that goes out in the backyard. They're all trained to use the bathroom outside too. It's just feeding them. It's like a stampede."

"How does she afford all these cats?"

"My grandfather was a very successful businessman. He also was a stickler with money. The only money he ever spent was when he was paying for me to travel the world and teach the children about Beyblading. He was a big investor in Beyblading too. Good friends with Mr. Dickenson."

"What happened to him?"

"Oh…he passed away two years ago. Since they raised me for the most part, from where my parents both travel for work all the time, he left me an inheritance and plenty of money to take care of my Nana. Whenever she passes away-" Salima knocked on wood quickly, "-I inherit this house."

"Well, I'll take this little guy off your hands. It gets lonely at home. We're hardly all home together as it is, with our jobs. Team practice is the only real time we spend together."

Salima took his hand, giving him that tender smile. "Don't worry, Ray. I'm here, so you don't have to be lonely anymore."

He felt his cheeks warm before a wide grin spread across his face, before he felt her gently lead him into the living room. The room was spacious, with an old model television set. Salima went over to the shelf, which had thousands of video tapes. The only thing that seemed from the 21st century had to be Salima's computer, which was sitting on the table. She pulled one from the shelf, before she knelt down and inserted the tape into the VCR. Ray smiled as he sat down on the couch, immediately being assaulted by purring cats.

Salima turned around, rolling her eyes, before she pulled out a ball of yarn. Immediately all the cats eyes were on the ball, before she tossed it. All of them went scampering out of the living room, save the tabby who was now curled up against Ray's thigh and napping, and Salima quickly shut the door to the living room. She shook her head, before picking the cat fur off her purple v-neck and settling down in the spot beside Ray.

He lifted his arm and placed it around her shoulders, with the redhead slowly leaning against him. Ray snuggled closer, running his fingers through her long and wild hair. He turned to press a gentle and chaste kiss to her temple, with Salima blushing as her fingers played with the material of his white shirt. Neither spoke a word as they watched the movie, just enjoying each others warmth and company.

It was nice.

"Hey, Ray?"

"Yeah?"

She took a deep breath, before turning to look into his golden gaze. Ray blushed a bit at the closeness, surprised when Salima then gently brushed her fingers against his cheek, leaning up and pressing their lips together for a long moment. She pulled back slowly, forehead pressing to his as they caught their breath.

"Ray, I really like you… I want to keep seeing you like this."

"Then…will you be my girlfriend?"

Slate eyes met gold, before her lips formed a small smile.

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

_A/N: Ray x Salima…so cute… :')_

_Next Chapter: "If You Are My Love"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


	10. Chapter 10 If You Are My Love

_Disclaimer: Beyblade & Characters belong to Aoki Takao; all OCs and the storyline belong to me._

_Contains: Max/Hilary, Ray/Salima, Kevin/OC, Kai/OC, Kenny/OC, Hiro/OC, Oliver/OC, Mariah/Mystel, and hints of other couples, if you squint. _

_A/N: Okay, since my favorite couples in this story are KevLien, MaxHil, and RaySal, I decided to just write whatever the hell I want. XD So there._

* * *

_**Chapter 10**_

_**If You Are My Love**_

_So many people…does this city ever sleep? It seems as if there's always something happening in this town. Always pulling everyone together in some way. I've never seen anything like it in my travels. It's almost strange. I don't mind the crowds, like I usually do. Maybe because we're all moving to our own rhythm…_

Converse padded against the wet sidewalks, puddles lightly dampening the hems of her leggings as she moved quickly amongst the crowd. Obsidian tresses framed her face, cascading to her hips, her eyes shadowed by the hood of her light blue windbreaker, the sleeves pushed up to her elbows over her white blouse, which fell to mid-thigh, left unbuttoned somewhat at the top. She listened to nature's music as the rain fell from the heavens, falling within the city walls.

Lien didn't mind the rain. It was calming and soothed her, reminding her of times with her grandfather, where she would just sit in the window-seat of the library, watching it fall on London as he played the piano and she would sing along softly to the melodies. Other times, she would stay up late on rainy nights, just talking softly to the rain.

It was an old tale her father would tell her. Sometimes, when one talks to the rain, someone out there could be listening. It was a comforting thought, especially after her parents passing, that they were listening to her and guiding her through her troubles.

Lien stopped suddenly in the middle of the crowded street, bright blue orbs lifting as she took in the overture of swirling rain clouds, just taking a moment to breathe and listen to the rain falling around her. The droplets landed on her porcelain face, sliding down it like tears as her lips finally parted, voicing the thoughts that had been whirling within her like a tempest since the day she had seen that mural.

"If you are my love, then please stay by my side. I don't want to fall back into that colorless world. All I want is for the world to stop, and there to just be you and me… just like once upon a time ago, when everything really felt okay. So if you can hear me speaking… listen closely… for this may be the only chance we have…"

She lowered her head, hands slipping into the pockets of her windbreaker, before her feet once again began to move down the bustling streets, losing herself in the crowd and surrendering to her thoughts.

* * *

_Buzz…Buzz…Buzz…Buzz…_

Kevin groaned, twisted in his sheets and trying to block out the annoying sound. It stopped, with the greenette relaxing once more, about to drift back to sleep when the persistent buzzing began once again. Glaring, his hand freed itself from the tangled sheets, finally grasping his vibrating cell phone. He flipped it open without glancing at the caller identification, pressing it to his slightly pointed ear.

"What do you want?" he whined.

"About damn time you picked up. I've been calling non-stop for the passed twenty minutes."

Great. It was Lee.

"Who called off this time?"

"Lynn is ill. Food poisoning from the all you can eat buffet she went to with Gary last night. Look, I'm at the bottom of my call-in list. I know you're about to go into over-time, but we really need someone to come in. Can you do it?"

"Any other day, I would have your back, but today I can't."

There was a frustrated growl on the other end. "Why not, Kevin?"

Kevin's free hand gripped the sheets in his fist, his own anger lacing his voice as he spoke. "For your information, I have a date and I refuse to reschedule it or cancel. I really like this girl, okay?"

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second… _you_ have a date?"

"Yes. Apparently that's damn near impossible in the world you live in." Kevin rolled his eyes, finally rolling onto his stomach and trying to free himself. "Look, Lee, I haven't asked you for anything. _At all_. The least you could do is get off my case and call Gary in. I know he's not sick and I need him out of the house anyway."

"He has that stupid cartoon marathon on though…"

"Lee, that's a lot less important than my date. Now could you _please_…I'm begging you… not do this to me. Just take that small television we had buried in the office and shove it in the back. Gary can watch and work at the same time. He's brilliant that way."

"Alright, you have a point. I'll bribe him with free food for his dinner break too."

"There, problem solved! Goodbye, Lee."

"Wait, Kev."

"What now?"

"…this girl, do I know her?"

"Yeah, you do. But keep it to yourself, okay? I don't want it getting out just yet. It will hurt her."

"I understand. I'm glad, Kevin. She's a nice girl and deserves a nice guy. Just behave yourself, okay?"

"Sure thing, _Daddy_."

"As if," Lee actually laughed. "Alright, good luck. Bye."

Kevin flipped his phone closed, finally unearthing himself. He stumbled out of his bed, groggily rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand, before releasing a loud yawn, showing off his sharp incisors. He lifted his alarm clock, before his eyes widened as he realized the time.

"Shit, shit, shit! I overslept! I was supposed to clean and I hafta still get ready and cook and shit, shit, shit, shit! I AM GOING TO HURT THEM FOR KEEPING ME UP SO LATE."

Scrambling about, Kevin managed to burst out of his bedroom, stumbling and whacking his shoulder against the hallway wall before pushing himself toward the living room. He was surprised to find Gary up and moving, getting ready for work. Kevin yanked the hair-tie he kept around his wrist up with his teeth, trying to pull his collar-length hair back, only to curse a second later as it snapped.

"Now I have to hunt for another hair-tie…dammit!"

Gary glanced over at where his shorter friend was now opening random drawers, hunting for even an elastic band to tie back his hair. He chuckled a bit before turning back to the fridge. Kevin stopped short a moment later, pinning a scary look on his friend.

"Gary, if you value life and our friendship, you will put that down _now_."

Gary sighed heavily and rather reluctantly returned the prepped fish back inside the fridge. He went to grab something else, hearing Kevin mimicking a buzzer sound, warning him not to even think about it. Grumbling, the brunette then gave up and just grabbed an apple from the bowl, turning and leaving for work. The moment the door was shut and he heard Gary's footsteps disappearing, Kevin relaxed a bit, giving up on trying to find a hair-tie.

He hurried to the bathroom, throwing off his clothes and taking the quickest shower he could manage, washing his hair. He cursed as he got soap in his mouth - luckily not his eyes, but still. Ugh.

Once he was back in his room, Kevin located the outfit he had picked out specifically for their date. It was a little nicer than what he usually wore, despite the fact they couldn't really go anywhere due to her publicity charade. He pulled on a pair of light blue skinny jeans, which were slightly tattered but not ripped in any places, tucking in his purple tank top and then pulling a black dress shirt on over it. He left it hanging open, rolling up the sleeves to his elbows, before he pulled on his skate shoes. Once his hair was dry enough, he brushed it, tilting his head a little to the side.

It was weird to have his hair down. He seldom wore it down, since he worked full-time and had to keep it pulled back anyway. The only time it was ever down was whenever he bathed and slept. He wondered how Lien would react to it.

Kevin rubbed at his wrist a bit, it feeling a bit naked without the usual hair-tie, before he located a simple black wristband, pulling it on before he hurriedly picked up any stray objects he had lying around, yanking open his closet door and tossing them inside. He then quickly made his bed, whirling around and rushing out of the bedroom.

"Okay, you have like an hour 'til she gets here, Kev." the greenette mumbled to himself. "So you have to hurry up and make dinner. I can't believe I slept in 'til almost three… stupid insomnia… ugh…"

Kevin quickly walked over to where his work apron was hanging, reaching into one of the pockets and produced a sparkly pink hair-barrette. It used to belong to Mariah, but she had given it to him so he could clip his bangs out of his face whenever he was working, since he was in charge of food prep and sometimes cooked. Now, out of habit, he always clipped his bangs on top of his head with it whenever he cooked.

Once both eyes were visible, Kevin made a face as he realized he could get food on his clothes. He threw off the dress shirt, tossing it over the back of one of the kitchen table chairs, before rushing back over and tying on his apron around his waist. He pulled out the prepped catfish, before getting ready to deep fry the fillets.

His hands worked quickly, glad that he had eventually taken cooking lessons from both Ray and Mariah before they moved to the city and opened their restaurant. At least he didn't cause anymore big fires, that was for sure.

Kevin nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard the doorbell buzzing. He panicked, nearly dropping the plate of fillets and barely catching them.

"C-come in!"

The door opened, with a single blue eye peering inside the apartment, before Lien stepped inside. She felt her cheeks warm as she took in the sight of him wearing just a tank top, with one of the straps falling off his shoulder, and the tight material showing the lean muscles of his torso. He was wearing his hair down too, and both of his animalistic eyes were visible for once. She noticed the hair-clip, not saying a word, before Kevin jolted and quickly unclipped it, his bangs falling back into his face and concealing one of his eyes. He then fixed his strap, tugging on the black dress shirt he had on the back of one of the chairs, removing his apron.

"You're right on time, Lien."

"Y…yes. I tried to wander around town for awhile until it was time for me to come over… I'm sorry if I startled you."

"No, no. It's fine!" Kevin quickly slipped the clip into his apron pocket before moving to hang it up. "Make yourself at home."

Lien nodded, blushing a bit as she lowered the damp hood of her windbreaker, shrugging it off and moving to hang it up. Kevin blushed a bit as he took in her clothes. He loved how comfortable she dressed. She wasn't trying to make herself stand out, and yet she always looked adorable and pretty. The leggings she wore framed her body, showing off her curves of her slender frame.

"Did you enjoy the concert?" Lien asked, in an attempt to make conversation.

"Definitely. You girls rock. One of my favorite bands, actually." Kevin replied, honestly. He noticed she was trembling a bit. "Geez, you're shivering. Is it storming out there?"

"You haven't looked outside yet? It started to really come down and it got really chilly."

Kevin reacted on impulse, moving forward and wrapping her in his arms. Her breath hitched, before she relaxed and closed her eyes, slowly lifting her arms and hugging him back. Kevin gave Lien a small squeeze, before stepping back, his face tinged pink. He then gestured toward the kitchen table, where he had two plates set out.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes…this looks so good! You made all of this?"

Lien looked surprised, but smiled broadly, slowly easing out of her shyness. Kevin nodded, rubbing the back of his neck as he stepped over to the table, pulling out her chair for her. Lien blushed once more, before she thanked him and took her seat. He pushed it in for her before he took the seat across from her after dimming the lights a bit and picking up the remote to the stereo system. Lien was surprised to hear familiar instrumental music.

"I hope you don't mind. I thought we could listen to some music while we ate."

"No… this is perfect."

Her eyes were smiling now too, before she looked down at the dinner that Kevin had prepared. Deep fried catfish, a small salad, and there was a small glass bowl that had fruit salad in it, topped with chocolate sauce. He had even made herbal tea for them to have along with it.

The music, the dinner, the dim lights, and most definitely the comfortable air between them…

It was just how she imagined.

"This is wonderful, Kevin. Truly, wonderful. Thank you so much for putting all of this together for us."

"Well…it's our first date, so I wanted it to be special, but not over the top." Kevin glanced at her from under his bangs as he confessed this. "Honestly, Lien, I'm starting to really like you and I'm hoping that this won't be our last date."

Lien swallowed hard, taken aback by the surge of emotions she felt as she looked at him. It was so foreign, yet so familiar. Being with Kevin felt as natural as it did alluring. She knew for certain that they had never encountered before, but it was as if she knew him intimately already. The way he moved, the way he spoke, his mannerisms…

Everything was familiar.

"T-this…won't be. I-I've never felt like this…with anyone. Being around you… Kevin, I feel happy. I don't just feel content. I feel okay again. More…than okay…" Blue eyes lowered to her lap, where she was playing with the hem of her blouse, crossing her ankles. "I know that Talia told me to…to not act with my emotions…because I don't want to mistake something for something else… but I do know with my whole heart that being with you is the happiest I've felt in my entire life… so…yes, I want to keep seeing you. I want to keep spending time together like this… I want to…"

She trailed off, voice thickening as her throat constricted with raw emotion, a burning prickling the corners of her eyes. Kevin slowly stood up, before walking around the table, gently kneeling down and then wrapping her in his arms, just rubbing her back gently as she closed her eyes and fought back her tears.

Lien wasn't even sure why she was crying. It seemed more out of relief than anything. She had always envisioned her life as an empty one, with the only comfort to her loneliness being her bandmates and her friends. She never thought she'd find someone who would want to hold her close, or take her hand, or just make the loneliness completely stop.

She had spent nearly twenty-one years completely alone.

Her grandfather loved her and took care of her out of obligation to his daughter, whom was no longer alive. Her other grandparents detested her existence and pretended she wasn't alive. Talia had been the first person to truly give her life any meaning, other than just passing through life as if she was a ghost.

That is until she met the other girls and now Kevin.

"Cheer up, okay?" Kevin pulled back, gently cupping her soft face in his hands, his thumbs stroking away the small tears that had escaped. "We're going to have fun tonight, okay?"

Lien nodded, smiling through her tears, before Kevin leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to her forehead. Her smile widened before Kevin gave his own grin, stepping back to take his place across from her.

They talked as they ate, laughing as Kevin told her stories about growing up in White Tiger Hills and with his team. After they finished eating, Kevin moved to clean up the dishes, but Lien joined him at the sink. Together, they washed and dried the dishes, just smiling at one another.

"So what else do you have planned?"

"Um… honestly just going on whim here." Kevin replied, giving a sheepish laugh. "See…you're the first girl I've ever asked out… and I have zero dating experience."

"Same here!" Lien giggled, before she just smiled at him. "So let's just do whatever we feel is right."

Kevin nodded in agreement, before he felt that persistent buzzing in his back pocket. Rolling his visible orb, Kevin withdrew the phone. "Gimme a sec, I better answer this…" He muttered something along the lines of, "better not be Lee again" before he flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Oi. You. Monkey breath. You better prove she exists. Joseph is about to keel over in exhaustion."

Kevin glanced at the time, seeing it was already shortly after five. "Alright, alright. Yeesh. I'll be right there."

Kevin hung up, returning the phone to his pocket, before he turned to Lien. She was tipping her head a little to the side in confusion, her azure eyes questioning him. The greenette reached over, slowly taking her hand.

"I want you to meet my friends."

"Your friends…?"

"Yes. I told them about you."

"You really told your friends about me?"

Kevin laughed a bit. "Don't look so surprised! I told you, Lien, I _really_ like you. Of course I'm going to brag to my friends about how awesome you are."

Blushing, she allowed him to lead her out of the kitchen and down the hall to his bedroom. Lien watched as Kevin released her hand, pulling out another chair from the corner of the room over. She sat down in it, only for him to shake his head. Lien squeaked loudly as Kevin lifted her by her waist effortlessly, plopping her into the comfy desk chair, taking the other seat.

_He just gave up his seat for me._

Considering how much of a gamer Kevin was, _that_ was a big deal.

She watched, gripping the hem of her blouse again nervously as her eyes followed the mouse on the monitor screen, watching as Kevin opened one of the programs, typing in his username, _galman.x_, and then his password before Skype opened. Not even two seconds later, he was getting a call. Kevin answered it, before in the right hand corner Lien saw themselves on the screen. She then saw a boy with pale skin, a large nose, red eyes, and navy hair wearing a pair of goggles on top of his head appear. A second window opened and then a boy who looked as if he could be Kevin's brother appeared, only he looked sleep deprived and he had exotic green eyes. Both were wearing headsets.

"Holy shit." was the first thing the pale boy said, with a slight Russian accent.

"Told you, Ian." Kevin replied, placing an arm around Lien's shoulders.

She didn't mind it, leaning closer to him and looking at the screen in amazement. She knew that Talia sometimes used a webcam to speak to her uncle, but she had never done it herself before. Her eyes flickered between the two windows, seeing how red her own face was in the smaller window in the corner, which only made it darken.

"Wow, Kev, I'm impressed. She's actually real." Ian continued.

"Looks like I won the bet then, Ian." spoke the boy with exotic eyes, the color of jade. "You better be transferring that money into my bank account."

Kevin looked offended. "Seriously? You bet on Lien's existence?"

"Hey, I bet in favor of you, Kev. You get half. No wait, did I say half? I meant a third."

"Joseph, stop talking."

The one named Joseph leaned closer to his screen. "Um, Lien was it? Can you move a little closer to the screen?"

"Um, sure…" Lien said slowly, leaning forward slightly.

"Wow. Definitely not my eyes. She's gorgeous, Kevin. You lucky bastard."

Kevin stuck his tongue out and then hugged Lien close again. "Mine. Get your own."

"Does she have a twin?"

"Fat chance."

"Dammit…I'll forever be virginal."

Kevin glared at the other greenette. "Dude! Not cool!"

"Oops. Sorry. Not used to there being a lady present. I'll watch my mouth."

"That's not all you better watch," Ian commented off-handedly, grumbling a bit as he finished transferring the money. "There. You got your grand."

"You. Bet. A. Grand."

"Good thing it turned out in my favor then! I didn't have that much…"

"LIES."

"Ian, shut up." Joseph then turned his attention back to his friend. "Man, this is really cool. If Kevin can get a girlfriend, then that means we can too!"

Kevin decided to keep his mouth shut when it came to the Russian, who happened to have access to several weapons.

And could hack his computer.

"Anyway, I'm dead tired and I don't want to risk ruining Mariam's beauty sleep…she _needs all of it_. So I'm going to hit the hay. Ozuma wants us to pack tomorrow anyway."

"Pack? What for? What did I miss?"

"We're coming to Japan. Surprise?"

Kevin simply huggled Lien to the point she was practically in his lap, glaring at the other greenette in a distrusting manner. Joseph laughed, holding up a hand.

"Trust me, Kev, I wouldn't do that to ya. Ian, maybe. You? No."

"What's that supposta mean, you bastard?!"

"Ian, language! There is a lady present!" Joseph scolded, before he gave Lien a big smile. "It was really great meeting you, Lien! Hopefully we'll get to meet in person soon! Goodnight, guys."

"Bye, Joseph."

His window closed, with the screen expanding and Ian now clear on the screen.

"You better behave. That's all I'm gonna say." Ian said shortly. "The last thing we need are monkey children running about."

Kevin wanted to punch him in the nose, but withheld his annoyance.

"I'll just kick your butt later tonight, Ian. Look, I don't want to feel like I'm ignoring my date so… I'm leaving now. Bye."

Kevin hung up, quickly exiting Skype before the Russian could continue to press on his nerves. He turned to Lien, who was looking a little confused from Ian's statement about monkey children.

Thank the gods she was naïve.

It was so adorable.

"I know, I know, they're a couple of weirdos. But…they're still two of the best friends I've ever had."

"I didn't find them weird at all." Lien said, truthfully. "They made me laugh."

"Yeah, they are pretty amusing." Kevin chuckled. "Do you want to watch a movie? Or maybe play a game?"

Lien paused for a moment. "Actually, I have a better idea."

Kevin perked up. "Really? What is it?"

She motioned for him to follow her, with the monkey boy doing just that - quite eagerly, mind you - before they went back into the kitchen. Kevin watched as Lien then got to work making two mugs of hot chocolate, surprised that she remembered that was something he would have with his team whenever they were younger.

Once it was prepared, Lien lifted them and motioned for him to follow her yet again. He did so without question, before they headed back to his room. She opened the window, climbing out onto the fire escape. Kevin followed immediately, seeing that she had found a dry spot. She sat down, back against the brick wall, before patting the spot beside her.

Kevin settled himself down beside her, taking the mug she handed him and thanking her, before leaning slightly against her. His breath caught a moment later, taking in the rain falling on the city, and just listening to it.

"This is…wonderful." Kevin breathed, before glancing at her.

Lien was sipping her hot chocolate, smiling shyly before she turned to look at him. Their gazes collided for a moment, before Kevin bit down on his lower lip, debating with himself. He was fighting his impulses now.

The moment was perfect.

Very slowly, Kevin began to lean in. Lien's eyes started to fall closed with every centimeter of distance between them that was eliminated. Soon, all she could feel was the warmth of his body and his scent was strong, reminding her of citrus.

_Is this…really happening…?_

It was a soft brush, a warmth that tingled down her body as their lips met in their first kiss. Soft, slow, and the feeling was indescribable. It wrapped around them both, like silk ribbons of rapture, entwining and tangling around their bodies until breathing was nearly impossible.

The world stopped.

Withdrawing slowly, Kevin opened his eyes slowly, and the world started once again. Suddenly, he didn't like it as much, but he could live in it. It wasn't as perfect as it had been those few seconds when he felt the most alive he had ever felt in the eighteen years he had been in this world, but it was tolerable.

"Was that too fast…?" he breathed, slight fear hitting him.

Lien shook her head slowly, blue eyes staring into violet.

"I'm going to go grab us a blanket. It's getting chilly."

As Kevin scrambled back inside of his room, he could feel his heart thundering in his chest, shock and joy mingling as the epiphany hit him so strongly, it both scared him and made him want to shout out to the world.

_I'm falling in love with her._

He froze a moment later as he heard her voice, speaking in a whisper he had a feeling he should not have heard.

"If you are my love, then please stay by my side. I don't want to fall back into that colorless world. All I want is for the world to stop, and there to just be you and me… just like once upon a time ago, when everything really felt okay. So if you can hear me speaking… listen closely… for this may be the only chance we have…"

_I'll listen, Lien._

* * *

_A/N: KEVLIEN FOREVER! I swear, out of my OC pairings for Beyblade, the best ones I've ever written have been KevLien, Tyley, Leetra, Raulici, KaiTalia, and YueKenny! (The three you don't recognize possibly are three girls Riley, Felicia, and Katra from my story __**Burning in the Skies**__. Check it out!) _

_Next chapter is Max/Hil! :D__  
_

_Next Chapter: "I For You"_

_-Mistress of the Arts_


End file.
